A HARROWING video of a cardiac arrest survivor was all it took to persuade a watersports centre in Dudley to get a defibrillator.

Tina Boothroyd, chairman of Dudley Rowing Club contacted West Midlands Ambulance Service to secure the lifesaving equipment after seeing a story about Stourport rower Ian Hough on the local news.

Ian suffered a cardiac arrest while taking part in a regatta at Stourport Boat Club and was technically dead for seven minutes.

But thanks to a defibrillator on the site and he was brought back from the brink of death.

Earlier this year Ian’s story was turned into a powerfully emotional short film called Pull Through, produced by his employer drpvideo, to encourage as many clubs, groups, businesses and communities as possible to consider getting a defibrillator.

The video (that you can watch below) did the trick as the Dudley Watersports Centre, in Highbridge Road, which has around 150 members from various sports disciplines and ages, now has a defibrillator and 34 of its members have not only been taught how to use it but also trained in basic CPR.

Tina, who took part in the training at the club, based at Netherton Reservoir, said: “It’s the best bit of equipment we could possibly have and I think every sports venue should have one.

“It’s absolutely brilliant and is going to make such a difference to someone’s life one day.”