Members of the public are being asked to keep an eye on defibrillator cabinets during the cold weather.

The units, often attached externally in public places, can be affected by plummeting temperatures - something which could leave them in an unusable state when they’re called upon.

Cabinets are weatherproof, and many are heated, however the advice is ‘better to be safe than sorry’.

Anyone walking past a defib can double check it’s status by looking through the viewing panel on the front of the casing. Units that are in working order should show a green ‘rescue ready’ mark, meaning they’re ready to use in an emergency.

Those which have been deactivated by freezing temperatures should be reported to the owner of the building they’re mounted on, or - where they’re in a public area - the helpline number on the case can be contacted.