A RAPID response team of medically-trained residents has been launched in Shepley.

Seven local residents have been trained as `community first responders' by West Yorkshire Metropolitan Ambulance Service and will be on-call to attend medical emergencies in Shepley.

When someone dials 999, operators will send these residents to the scene of the emergency, as well as professional ambulance crews.

As they live locally, the community first responders will reach the scene first and provide vital first aid while waiting for paramedics to arrive.

Incidents the residents will attend include people with shortness of breath, people who have had a heart attack or have collapsed or are unconscious.

The community first responders have been trained in scene and patient assessment, airway management, basic life support and defibrillation techniques by WYMAS.

Shepley community first responder Jane Hanson said: "I feel quite privileged to live out of the main city but also appreciate that rural living makes it more challenging for the ambulance service to reach emergencies quickly.

"A community responder is more likely to get to a patient in minutes. The basic care we can provide could help save that patient's life."

Lee Gray, WYMAS's community defibrillation officer, said the Shepley volunteers were committed to their new roles.

He added: "I hope they inspire more people to volunteer."

Lee Gray said: "As many as one in five cardiac arrests happen in public places, so there is a real need for this initiative."