IT'S the small device that probably saved a Hampshire grandfather's life.

And Brian Marshall has done his bit for making sure defibrillators are at more locations in the county by holding a family-friend fun day that was attended by Saints legend Francis Benali.

Fifty-seven-year-old Brian suffered a cardiac arrest at Asda in Totton earlier this year and believes his life was saved by the quick actions of an off-duty fireman and soldier who used a defibrillator to restart his heart.

As previously reported in the Daily Echo, he met one of his saviours, Lance Corporal Harry Pickering recently as he vowed to support the Daily Echo's Save A Life campaign to get more defibrillators in schools and public places.

Brian's son Rob is a driver for First in Southampton and they want to raise the £1,740 needed for a defibrillator at the firm's depot in Empress Road.

First will then match the funding for a second defibrillator at the company's travel shop in Pound Tree Road and the family held a fun day at the Royal Victoria Country Park to raise the money.

And the event, which featured a football match between two teams of First employees, face-painting and a host of different races, was so successful that they only need another £150 to meet their target.

Brian said: "The day was very good, we were a bit worried in the morning because of the rain but it cleared up and there was probably about 100 or more people.

"There were all sorts of different races, a cake stall, a barbecue and Francis Benali came along.

"We raised quite a bit of money, so much so that we are now only £150 short."

He said he now intends to ride a mountain bike and race son Rob, who will be driving a First bus, from Lordshill to Thornhill in January.

Some of the money raised from that challenge will now go towards funding a defibrillator for a school in Southampton as the fundraising has been so successful so far.

Benali told the Daily Echo: "There are many fantastic causes out there that are all deserving of public generosity, but speaking to Brian just highlighted the need for something like defibrillators in certain locations where there are hopefully trained and qualified staff to use them.

"I there hadn't been on there in Asda and someone able to use it there is a real possibility Brian wouldn't be alive today.

"I definitely back the Echo's campaign - there's lots of things that can happen to people in life and it's by having defibrillators that takes away that element of danger and risk for people as something like that could happen to anyone."