A DEFIBRILLATOR has been installed in a West Fife village in memory of a popular resident.

Betty McLean, who lived in Long Row – the cottages between Kingseat and Halbeath – died after suffering a cardiac arrest.

Following her death, residents raised concerns as emergency services had been held up at the nearby level crossing while trying to get to the village on two occasions and clubbed together to buy the life-saving machine.

They were delighted when Scottish Power Energy Networks stepped in and routed an electricity supply to the device from an overhead line, allowing the defibrillator to be kept in the street free of charge and available for anyone to use.

Dunfermline and West Fife MP Douglas Chapman welcomed the donation and said: “This piece of life-saving equipment is vital for rural communities across Scotland as due to their location it can take several extra minutes for emergency services to arrive.

“Having defibrillators located in these small communities means anyone who suffers from a cardiac episode can be responded to quickly, which could be the difference between life and death as every second matters in these situations.

“I am also delighted to see the community spirit on show here – after such a tragic event, all the residents have pulled together to make sure it never happens again and sufferers can have the best chance of survival.

"The village may have tragically lost Betty McLean but hopefully this defibrillator may help someone in the future.

“I would like to thank Scottish Power Energy Networks for their generosity in installing the box and allowing the defibrillator to be run for free. It would be great to see this kind of initiative being implemented in other rural communities across Scotland.”

Long Row resident Jim Spalding added: “I am so glad Scottish Power Energy Networks have stepped in to provide power for the defibrillator that our community clubbed together to buy.

“There shouldn’t be a cost to saving lives. Scottish Power Energy Networks has recognised that and I hope they can go on to help other smaller towns and villages that are more difficult for emergency services to access.

“We have experienced too many incidents here of emergency services being unable to reach us because they were delayed by the nearby level crossing and it has unfortunately been costly in the past. Hopefully now, if it ever happens again, we can respond much quicker to such incidents and save a life.”