TIME means everything when it comes to saving lives.

And one group of people are learning how to do just that.

When Denis Broadhead had a heart attack during a bowling match, Lindley Bowling Club members called for an ambulance as one member gave first aid.

Their prompt action undoubtedly helped Denis get medical treatment quicker and aided his recovery.

But the bowlers all felt like they could do more.

And they now can, because the club members are now trained to use a defibrillator, a life-saving machine that gives the heart an electric shock in cases of cardiac arrest.

The British Heart Foundation says that for every minute that passes without defibrillation the heart attack patient’s chances of survival decreases by 14% – those minutes waiting for an ambulance are vital.

Research shows that applying a controlled shock within five minutes of collapse provides the best possible chances of survival.

But until recently many untrained first aiders or members of the public had no idea how to use a defibrillator.

More than 6,000 defibrillators are now in community locations nationally, and more places in Kirklees and Calderdale are getting them too, including schools, businesses and sports venues.

And with around 275,000 people having a heart attack every year – 120,000 of those being fatal – it’s right more people know how to help someone while they’re having heart attack.

The Lindley bowlers are proof that it’s never too late to learn – it could mean the difference between life and death.