There are desperate calls for a defibrillator to be installed in Herne Bay town centre after a man collapsed and died while playing snooker at a social club.

Ambulance crews rushed to the Ex-Servicemen’s Club in William Street when the man keeled over after finishing a game.

Despite frantic attempts to revive him, he was pronounced dead at the scene at just after 11am last Monday.

Former councillor Vince McMahan now says a life-saving defibrillator should be fitted in the town.

He said: “Nobody in the club knew resuscitation and the stewardess went out in the street in desperation asking if anyone knew CPR.

“No one did and when the ambulance arrived, they could not resuscitate him.

“Had there been a defibrillator in the town centre, it might have saved him.”

Mr McMahan, of Fleetwood Avenue, thinks the defibrillator could be fitted inside a vandalised telephone box outside the library in the High Street.

He has long-been calling for the device to be installed, which could be accessed by anyone who calls 999 and gets given a code to unlock it.

"It would be a good use of an empty asset..." - Brian MacDowall

“These defibrillators are fool-proof and anyone can use them,” Mr McMahan said.

“They are all-singing and all-dancing and talk people through every step.

“The telephone box is unloved at the moment, but it is a focal point in the town and it could be used to house a vital thing.”

Mr McMahan says he would be willing to regularly check the defibrillator if it was installed.

County councillor for Herne Bay Brian MacDowall (Ukip) supports the idea.

He said: “Vince has come up with a good idea – it would be a good use of an empty asset and would turn it into something that would benefit the community.

“The only other defibrillator I know of in the town is outside the rowing club in Hampton.

“That is fine for people using the seafront, but there is nothing in the town centre.”