RESIDENTS in a Hampshire village have taken first aid into their hands by installing defibrillators in their village phone boxes.

The equipment, which is used to administer electric shocks to cardiac arrest patients, was set up in the remote village of Wield after the traditional red phone boxes were decommissioned and then reconditioned by villager Terry Frost.

Young people in the village raised £2,000 towards the cost of the installation and equipment which was also funded via a £2,500 grant from rural charity Fieldfare.

Each defibrillator can be accessed by dialling 999 for a key code.