A BLACKBURN swimming instructor is campaigning to get defibrillators into schools across East Lancashire.

Kathryn Burton, who runs the Waterwings swim school at Westholme School, started fundraising five years ago in recognition of her brother-in-law and best friend David Burton who was born with a heart and lung condition.

She holds a yearly sponsored swim for children and has raised more than £8,000 installing defibrillators in five schools across the area.

This year the sponsored swim was held in memory of Mr Burton who passed away from heart failure in the same week at the age of 44.

Mrs Burton, 43, from Ramsgreave, said: “I would go to hospital to visit David and seeing the defibs I thought we need one of those at school. It started from there and every year I do it in his memory. I called it the David Burton Sponsored Swim.

“His death was unexpected. It makes the campaign even more important. It is not just the children who benefit. It is the staff and children that come from other schools as well as the wider community.” One day they could save someone’s life.”

MORE TOP STORIES:

Defibrillators have been provided for Lower Darwen Primary School, Feniscowles Primary School, Meadowhead Junior School and Salesbury CE school in Blackburn. Two were also bought for Westholme.

“In Germany they have them on street corners. I think it should be like that here and I will keep fundraising each year. I wanted to thank people for helping me do this in Dave’s memory and to the children who took part in the sponsored swim.”

As part of her fundraising, Mrs Burton was also hoping to buy two spinal boards for the pool at Westholme - one of which was donated by Sam Sheehan of BMI the Beardwood Hospital. The boards are used to help injured people out of water.