Red phone box turned into defibrillator hub

A defibrillator has been installed in a red phone box in Guildford town centre after a businessman bought it for £8,000.

The Grade II listed box, outside Holy Trinity Church, was purchased by Matt Gaskin, who said what began as an effort to preserve a piece of local heritage had become "something far more meaningful for the community".

A defibrillator and a bleed control kit have been installed and are available for public use 24 hours a day.

Access to the life-saving equipment is managed via 999, with call handlers providing the code and instructions in an emergency.

Gaskin, who previously helped to install another defibrillator in the town, said he came up with the idea because there was "nothing at that end of the town centre".

He had a good friend in his 80s who had a heart attack, he said.

His friend, who he described as "a lovely guy", survived, but people who came to his aid had to make a 15-minute trip to get the life-saving kit.

The whole project has cost him about £20,000, he said, with funds coming from his IT solutions business.

He paid £8,000 for the box at auction, plus £2,000 solicitor's fees, £3,000 on parts and £5,000 on the defibrillator.

The box had to be stripped out completely and needed more than 160 hours labour which was done by his son, who wanted to give back to the community.

The box is open now and people can use it, but there will be an official opening later this year.

"We like to try and make a difference," Gaskin told the BBC. His next project will be working on a youth hub for the town.

Gaskin posted on social media: "This project has always been about creating something practical and lasting for Guildford - a visible, accessible resource that could make a real difference in those critical first few minutes of an emergency."

He said further emergency equipment would be added over the coming months.

By next week, the box is also expected to include a trauma kit and a burns kit, he said.

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