Chorley man denies stealing life saving machine from Coppull Football Club

John Cooper, 36, of Cunliffe Street, Chorley, is accused of a burglary at the building on August 3, 2020 during which the £1,385 equipment was stolen.

It is understood a worker at the venue went to do a weekly check on the item and found it was missing.

Police later launched a social media appeal and released an image of a topless man.

Mr Cooper pleaded not guilty to the offence during his first appearance at Preston Magistrates' Court.

He will face a trial on July 23 and was granted conditional bail in the meantime.

The life-saving devices are used to give a high energy electric shock to the heart to try and restart it following a cardiac arrest.

They are mounted in prominent positions across the county so that ordinary people can provide immediate and vital first aid to heart attack victims, before paramedics arrive.

Many are stolen each year, and in some cases it is believed the units are being stripped down and sold for spares, with parts advertised for sale on the black market.

A person's chance of survival decreases by 10% every minute without CPR and defibrillation.

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