Lifesaving equipment will be used by Bromley police as part of an initiative that will see police officers responding to emergencies alongside ambulance crews.

Bromley MPS will help the London Ambulance Service from Monday, July 24, and will receive 16 lifesaving units.

The units will include Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) that are used to treat people who are suffering cardiac arrest.

In London, the average cardiac survival rate is nine per cent but in Heathrow the survival rate is 75 per cent thanks to the availability of AEDs and staff and emergency services personnel who know how to use them.

Successful trials have already been run in four London boroughs.

Chris Hartley-Sharpe, head of first responders at London Ambulance Service, said: "Every second counts when someone is in cardiac arrest.

"The only way to restart a heart is with a defibrillator so the sooner one arrives with someone trained to use it, the better the outcome for the patient.

"While we will always send an ambulance response as a priority, by working together with the police service we can ensure patients in cardiac arrest receive vital treatment as quickly as possible."

As part of the initiative, police officers equipped with AEDs will be alerted to potential cardiac arrests and if they reach a patient first, they will be able to administer lifesaving treatment.

Sue Warner, strategic health and safety adviser from the Metropolitan Police Service said: "We are delighted to be working with the London Ambulance Service to save lives across London.

"Equipping our response team vehicles and station offices with this essential lifesaving equipment will enable our officers to respond to these critical life or death emergency calls. "