A CHARITY which donates life-saving defibrillators to schools and sports clubs has reached a milestone.

The Connor Saunders Foundation handed over its 50th machine to staff and pupils at St Mark’s School in Manor Road, Brighton, at an assembly yesterday.

The charity was set up by the family of Connor, 19, who died in April 2012 after he was punched outside a supermarket in Rottingdean.

As well as donating the machines across Sussex, the foundation also talks to children about the importance of making the right choices in life.

The charity has recently joined forces with Rockinghorse, which is helping with providing the defibrillators so as many schools as possible can benefit.

Rockinghorse is the official fundraising arm of the Royal Alexandra Children’s Hospital in Brighton and also supports other children’s health services in the county.

Connor’s sister and foundation chairwoman Courtney Saunders-Jones, 31, said: “It is unbelievable that we have reached this point and we are very humbled by it.

“We first raised money to donate a defibrillator to Connor’s football club because it was something he felt very strongly about and it has just gone on from there.

“We’ve now even got a waiting list of schools looking for a defibrillator.It has just got bigger and bigger.

“It is so important places have them. You are hearing more often about children collapsing due to sudden cardiac arrests and the machines can also be used on school staff and visitors.

“Many schools also have facilities which are used by adults outside of school hours so this would also help.

“It has been fantastic and we know Connor would approve. We are simply carrying on his work for him.”

St Mark’s headteacher Jane Fendley said: “We feel privileged to be the 50th to receive a defibrillator from the Connor Saunders Foundation.

“Although we hope we never have to use it, the defibrillator coupled with training could help save a life one day.”

About 12 young people die every week from sudden cardiac arrest.

Of these, 270 are children who will die at school and 80 per cent of those will have had no previous symptoms.

Having access to a defibrillator is vital as every minute a person is in cardiac arrest, their chances of survival drops by ten per cent.