A FORMER Kingsbridge police officer has stepped in and offered to buy a defibrillator for the local police cars.

An appeal for help to raise enough money for the Kingsbridge police to have a defibrillator in each of their patrol cars was launched by PC Richard Loxton earlier in the year.

PC Loxton called former Kingsbridge officer, and now international businessman, John Casson on Friday afternoon and explained that the local force wanted to buy five defibrillators at £1,000 each.

The response from John was immediate – he would donate £1,000 to buy a defibrillator.

'During the eight years I was a police officer in the '80s we never had such equipment' said John. 'Frequently, we were in situations where we had to try and save lives without the necessary equipment.

'Although I have been out of the police for almost 30 years now, I have a great respect for the police and what they have to do, often in very difficult situations.

'I am only too pleased to be able to help, hoping that the defibrillator will help save someone's life.'

Other local businesses and residents have come forward to help the police with their project to equip all the force cars with defibrillators.

JPSweetietrees, based in Kingsbridge, has offered to donate £1 for every sweet-toothed tree they sell, and WM Construction has also offered to buy them a defibrillator outright.

John Casson served with Devon and Cornwall Police for eight years, stationed in Kingsbridge between 1983 and 1985.

After retiring from the police, he founded and became chairman of his company Securewest International, specialising in maritime security worldwide.

Now, semi-retired from the business since 2007, John dedicates a considerable amount of his time to raising money and supporting charities and worthwhile causes both as an individual and through The John Casson Foundation, which he formed in 2012.

For almost 10 years John was the chairman of the Exercise Tiger Memorial, the Sherman tank memorial dedicated to the Second World War tragedy off the coast of Torcross in which almost 1,000 American servicemen lost their lives.

John has, since 2011, been a trustee on the board of Sandy Gall's Afghanistan Appeal that helps injured, sick and disabled Afghans – particularly children in the war torn country.

Every year since 2006, John has organised, at his own expense and in his own time, a fundraising lunch or dinner with benefactors including the adoption agency Families For Children, The Greater London Fund for the Blind, The Royal Marines Charitable Trust and Sandy Gall's Afghanistan Appeal.

John has in recent years donated and fundraised to date over £400,000.

PC Loxton said: 'I'm really grateful for everyone's help so far and am sure that these will directly save lives in the Kingsbridge area.

'I'm in talks with other agencies and groups so it's going great and I have no doubt we'll reach the target.