A 10-man team of volunteer first-aiders will take to the streets this week to help save the lives of heart attack victims.

The ordinary members of the public will act as a rapid response unit to give shock heart restart treatment before paramedics arrive. Today, as the scheme -- the first of its kind in Greater Manchester -- prepares to get under way, the man in charge of the project said the arrival of the volunteers could mean the difference between "life and death." As reported in the BEN on Saturday, Bolton is one of Britain's worst heart attack blackspots.

The volunteers will be based in the Horwich area and will treat heart patients -- as paramedics are mobilised. They will use defibrillators -- machines which jump start the heart.

Ten people will be on a rota system every 24 hours. Each time the Greater Manchester Ambulance Service control centre takes a 999 call for a heart attack victim in Horwich, they will mobilise a local first aider, as well as a paramedic.

The idea is to give treatment within the first few minutes of a heart attack.

Paramedic Andy Redgrave is heading the project -- the first for Greater Manchester Ambulance Service.

Mr Redgrave said: "These people will not be replacing paramedics. They will be called out by the ambulance control to go to a certain addresses with the defibrillator. It is all about saving lives.

"The first few minutes are vital for a heart attack patient."

Mr Redgrave said: "It can sometimes take eight minutes for an ambulance to arrive. These are vital minutes lost and could mean the difference between life and death.

"The first aiders have been trained to use the defibrillators. They will not be paid, but act as volunteers."

He added: "One of the greatest problems will be people letting them into their homes, although they will be wearing fluorescent coats and carrying an identity card."

Ambulance chiefs will issue their volunteers with mobile phones, pagers and defibrillators which they will have to carry with them when they are on call.

They hope to extend the scheme to other areas of Bolton and throughout Greater Manchester if it proves a success.

Malcolm and Linda Sutton, of Alexandra Road, Lostock, are among the new recruits who spotted the advert in a supermarket window.

Linda, aged 42, a medical secretary, said: "We just want to be able to do some good. We realise that some people may not want us, and if they don't want us to help, then that is fair enough."

Her husband Malcolm, aged 45 and a housing officer for Bolton Council, said: "Hopefully we will be saving lives."