THE mother of teenager Jack Thomas spoke out yesterday after figures showed Wales had one of the lowest rates of survival from sudden cardiac arrest.

June Thomas has spearheaded the Argus-backed campaign, the Jack’s Appeal, seeking to ensure every secondary school in Gwent has a defibrillator.

Her 15-year-old son from Oakdale, Jack Thomas, died suddenly in 2012.

She intervened after the Arrhythmia Alliance released figures showing that around 7,760 people died unnecessarily after a sudden cardiac arrest each year in Wales.

The UK’s Heart Rhythm Charity, has called on government, politicians, healthcare professionals, emergency services, voluntary groups and the general public to take action in helping to save the many lives lost to sudden cardiac death.

Mrs Thomas, 48, said yesterday: “We’re all after the same goal – to get the defibrillators in public spaces and get awareness and training for people and Wales and throughout the UK.

“These figures are way too high. They’re not acceptable. If there were more defibrillators in public areas and access to defibrillators, the figures would come down.”

When someone collapses with a sudden cardiac arrest, the time taken to shock the heart back to a normal rhythm is critical. Every minute without defibrillation the chance of survival decreases by 10 per cent, figures show.

On its own CPR can save up to 10 per cent of victims, however when a defibrillator is used as well, this can increase survival to over 50 per cent in people with a shockable heart rhythm.

Mrs Thomas has helped to run the Jack’s Appeal in partnership with the Welsh Hearts charity.

Welsh Hearts charity chief executive Sharon Owen said: “There are 8,000 sudden cardiac arrests outside of hospital each year in Wales and it’s shocking that the survival rate is just three per cent.

“When an automated external defibrillator and good effective CPR session is used then the survival rate increases by up to 50 per cent.”