Parishioners and councillors were in Devoran on Saturday for the grand re-opening of the village phone box which has become a potential life saver.

Feock Parish Council adopted the classic red phone box from BT to save it from being removed, and have since had it fitted with a community defibrillator.

On Saturday morning Councillor Caroline Johnson, chair of the council's access and amenities committee, cut a red ribbon on the box at the bottom of Market Street, to declare it officially open.

Parish clerk Debra Roberts said: "The defibrillator can be used by anyone in the event of someone suffering a cardiac arrest and training is not necessary, however the Parish Council have provided free training in CPR and defibrillator use for local residents.

"This training has been provided by Luke, from a local charity, CoastMedic based in Mylor, and local resident and NHS first responder, Barry Neville. A further session of training is being arranged in the next couple of months.

"The defibrillator is automatic and will actually talk the person through how to use it, it also won’t let a shock be delivered to someone whose heart doesn’t need shocking, so someone cannot be harmed with it accidentally."

The defibrillator that has been installed is a Zoll AED Plus normally costing around £1200, which was part funded by the British Heart Foundation with £400 paid by the council.

The Parish Council already has another defibrillator, again part funded from the British Heart Foundation, which it hopes to site in Feock village, and is looking at the possibility of installing another one in Carnon Downs next year.