RESIDENTS of Long Lee and Thwaites Brow came together to raise £1,500 for a defibrillator for the village.

Keighley town councillors Leanne Wrench and Chris Graham started the fundraising campaign after being elected and realising the nearest publicly-available defib was a mile down the hill in Parkwood.

Money came from a Just Giving Page, Long Lee Cricket Club, and a successful free music festival, which was the brainchild of Bev and Colin Cooney, owners of the Dickie Bird pub in Thwaites Brow.

An appeal for raffle prizes from local people brought in brand new children’s bikes, dance lessons, free milk deliveries, a gutter clean, ladies fashion voucher, and a signed Frank Bruno boxing glove.

There were also food stalls, a Name A Giant Teddy competition and tombola stalls, along with significant donations from the Cricket Club and the Dickie Bird.

The defibrillator has been installed on the wall of the Dickie Bird.

Inspired by the success of the first campaign, Bev and Colin have already begun fundraising for a second device to be placed elsewhere in Long Lee and Thwaites Brow.

Activities will include raffles, and a sponsored weight loss by Bev, Colin and 10 of their customers.

The Dickie Bird, a frequent supporter of charitable causes, is holding a fundraising day on Saturday March 7 in support of villager Gemma Wilkinson, who is currently currently undergoing cancer treatment.