The lives of more and more patients across Huddersfield and Calderdale are being saved thanks to a tiny “jump start” machine.

And the equipment, which corrects irregular and dangerous heartbeats, is already proving invaluable to young Huddersfield footballer Lee Orton.

Lee, 30, from Beech Tree Court, near Ashbrow Road, Sheepridge, collapsed on the football pitch while playing for Aimbry in September.

He was saved by cardiac massage by a nurse who happened to be a spectator at the game.

Lee received an ICD in October in an hour-long operation.

Now cardiology device team at Calderdale Royal Hospital has performed approximately 150 Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillators (ICDs) procedures since the service started more than six years ago.

The ICD sits under the skin close to the heart and when it detects a fast irregular life-threatening heartbeat it emits a small electric shock which returns the heartbeat to a normal one.

As he recovered from his operation and subsequent physiotherapy, Lee started the Goals 4 Hearts Appeal with the ultimate aim of having lifesaving defibrillators at sports complexes and grounds across the town.

He is due to present his first defibrillator – donated by his employers County Technical Services – to the Leeds Road Playing Fields, in Huddersfield, shortly.

Lee said: “The hospital staff were absolutely amazing and I vowed I would do something to help others if I came out the other side.

“There are eight matches at Leeds Road every Saturday with 22 players in each. So with the defibrillator there it means if anything happens to any one of them there is a better chance of them surviving.

The ICD team caption, from the left: Karen Morris (Specialist Cardiac Physiologist [Implantable Cardiac Devices]); Siobhan Mulvihill (Nurse); Hannah Morris (Nurse); Alan Hutchinson (Cardiac Arrhythmia Nurse); Julie Morland (Radiographer); James Battye (Deputy Manager- cardiology); Gillian Binns (Specialist Cardiac Physiologist [Implantable Cardiac Devices)
The ICD team caption, from the left: Karen Morris (Specialist Cardiac Physiologist [Implantable Cardiac Devices]); Siobhan Mulvihill (Nurse); Hannah Morris (Nurse); Alan Hutchinson (Cardiac Arrhythmia Nurse); Julie Morland (Radiographer); James Battye (Deputy Manager- cardiology); Gillian Binns (Specialist Cardiac Physiologist [Implantable Cardiac Devices)

“In every family there is a son, a daughter, a brother, a cousin, a Dad playing football and there is so much support for this campaign.”

James Battye, deputy manager of the cardiology department, Battye, said: “It is an excellent fundraising campaign that Lee has started.

“To have automated defibrillators and access to basic life support training at all local football clubs could ultimately save a person’s life.”

Consultant Colin Welsh said: “Due to adverts such as the recent Vinnie Jones Staying Alive by the British Heart Foundation there is increasing public awareness of how to perform cardio-pulmonary resuscitation (CPR).

“Coupled with fast ambulance response times many more individuals are surviving an out of hospital cardiac arrest.

“After tests within the hospital an ICD can be implanted to treat any further episodes throughout a patient’s life and we are delighted the service is available locally.”