AN iconic Wirral church has been awarded a piece of life-saving equipment and will hold a community awareness event for people to learn how to use it.

The iconic Shrine Church of Ss Peter, Paul and St Philemona in New Brighton – also known as The Dome of Home - has been fitted with a public access defibrillator (PAD) and awarded a CPR training kit by the British Heart Foundation (BHF).

Wirral Globe:

Ss Peter, Paul and St Philemona in New Brighton has been fitted with a life-saving defibrillator

The church is holding a 'Defib and CPR Awareness Afternoon' on Wednesday June 15, in partnership with North West Ambulance Service for people to become potential lifesavers. The event is open to all.

Wirral Globe:

The defibrillator (pictured, above) is a portable device that can be used by a member of the public to help restart the heart when someone has a cardiac arrest.

This is when the heart stops pumping blood around the body and they lose conscious almost at once.

Canon Amaury Montjean, rector from the Shrine Church said: “We are delighted to have received this lifesaving package.

“Our church is open all day every day and our visitor numbers are increasing with groups booking our heritage tours.

“The defibrillator will be placed in a yellow cabinet on the outside wall of the church to the right of the entrance porch, accessible 24/7.

“This will give visitors, volunteers and local people the best chance of survival should they suffer a cardiac arrest. We’re keen to get as many people as possible trained in CPR too.”

Wirral Globe:

The Grade II-listed building, which first opened in 1935, was nicknamed the Dome of Home because it is one of the first things seafarers see when they sail back to Liverpool.

In 2012, this church used to be the only Catholic church in England where all Sacraments were performed in Latin.

It was the first church with this purpose but since then, several other churches have been established by their respective bishops.

Judy O’Sullivan, the British Heart Foundation's assistant programme director said: "More than 30,000 people suffer a cardiac arrest outside of hospital every year but less than one in ten survive.

“More people could be saved if more defibrillators were available in public places and if more people felt confident using them and performing CPR.

“We are delighted that The Dome of Home have joined the BHF’s Nation of Lifesavers campaign - by making another defibrillator available in New Brighton and teaching CPR locally. It could really be the difference between life and death.”

The awareness sessions at Ss Ss Peter, Paul and St Philemona's church on Wednesday June 15 will be held at 2-3pm or 3.30-4.30pm.

To book your place, email heritage@domeofhome.org or call 07743235046.