COWDENBEATH's club secretary has hailed the arrival of a potentially life-saving defibrillator to the ground after one such device saved his life.

The club are now the owners of a new AED (Automated External Defibrillator) thanks to a special initiative.

The Scottish Football Partnership Trust has been working with The Kilpatrick Fraser Charitable Trust (KFCT), whereby they have put together a scheme and funding to provide community football clubs and trusts with a life-saving defibrillator.

Thus, on Saturday, before the pre-season friendly with East Fife at Methil, the Central Park Community Trust were delighted to become the latest recipients of a defib.

It was handed over at Saturday’s game to the club secretary and CCT’s David Allan.

David said: ‘We are enormously grateful to the SFPT and the KFCT for supporting Cowden in the Community via the provision of this equipment to the Central Park Community Trust in respect of its activities at Central Park.

“The defibrillator will be located at the entrance to the main building and will be readily accessible at any event. Thus anyone attending the football at Central Park, as well as our friends at the Cowdenbeath Racewall, will also have the benefit of this lifesaving piece of equipment being available”.

David added: ‘I would also like to extend a very personal thanks to the SFPT and KFCT as this gift has a very personal significance for me.

“Back in 2014, out of the blue, I suffered a sudden cardiac arrest in Dobbie's Garden Centre, in Dunfermline.

“An unknown Good Samaritan gave me CPR. Then the paramedics arrived and used a defibrillator to restore my heartbeat and save my life. I woke up in hospital a couple of days later oblivious to all that drama after having had heart stents put in.

“Around a fortnight later I was at East End Park to see Cowden defeat Dunfermline in the play-offs at East End Park.

"Since then, because of that Good Samaritan, the medics and crucially a defibrillator, I have been able to enjoy such occasions as the weddings of my sons, the birth of my grandchildren and indeed life itself.

“My Ruby Wedding and my mother’s 90th birthday are due shortly – so I count my blessings every day and give thanks for the gift of life that this sort of equipment helped provide."