AS well as keeping animals alive, Dudley Zoo can now do their best to keep humans going too thanks to new additions to the park this week.

The popular tourist attraction has installed two automated external defibrillators (AED) – devices used to help restart the heart of someone in cardiac arrest – on the site; one of which was donated by West Midlands Ambulance Service.

Wollaston woman Mytyl Tromans handed over the other in memory of her late husband Roy - a popular Stourbridge snooker player - who passed away in November last year from a heart attack.

The couple were married for 47 years and Mytyl wanted to ensure the memory of her husband lived on.

While handing over the AED to Dudley Zoo with her daughter Nina and Nina’s partner Dean, Mytyl said: “At Roy’s funeral I asked for donations so that I could buy a defibrillator in his memory.

“I got in touch with the ambulance service and, as Roy had worked in Dudley all of his life as a financial advisor, I decided to donate the defibrillator to the Zoo as they hadn’t got a defibrillator. I wanted it to go somewhere to benefit the general public.

“In Roy’s memory I’ve achieved something and I hope that the device will help to save a life.”

West Midlands Ambulance Service’s community response manager Andy Jeynes and paramedic Lee Farley handed over the second device and also trained eight of the zoo’s staff members in basic life support and how to use the defibrillator.

Andy said: “With more than 80 staff and thousands of members of the public on site each year it makes perfect sense to have live saving devices on hand to help in times of an emergency.”

Matt Lewis, zoo manager, said: “Sudden cardiac arrest often occurs without warning and we understand getting the right medical treatment within the first few minutes is vital. By installing these defibrillators at the top and bottom of the zoo site means our trained first-aiders will have access to the necessary equipment at all times.

“We’re thankful to the family of Roy Tromans and West Midlands Ambulance Service for donating two defibrillators and additional training and pleased we can help protect the wellbeing of zoo visitors and staff - although we hope no-one will need to use them.”