A GRASSROOTS football club look to become the 'torchbearers' for local teams to carry mobile defibrillators to protect those both on the pitch and off. 

UniSun Athletic FC, based at Harraby in Carlisle, have fundraised to carry a mobile defibrillator to all their matches. 

The initiative came about after the club became aware of two young players in the under-10s team dealing with heart conditions, leading them to a partnership with Red Sky Foundation - a charity that looks to improve the lives of people needing cardiac care. 

Brian Hough, the under 10s coach, said: "I've got two lads with heart conditions, they've been declared fit to play by doctors but it was through that I thought it would be handy to have a pitch side defib. 

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"In Cumbria, some of the changing rooms can be a long way from the pitch, you could lose vital time. 

"We raffled a signed Sunderland football shirt, one of the boys had given us, which bought us the first defib. 

"As parents have said, it's not just for the boys, it's for the parents, coaches, officials - everybody.

"We play at Harraby 3G most Saturdays and there'll be up to another five games going on. You end up covering so many more people with this," he said. 

UniSun will wear the Red Sky logo on their shirts next season to raise awareness, in hopes to set a precedent for defibs and Red Sky in Cumbria. 

The issue has shot to prominence for the FA following incidents on the pitch involving Fabrice Muamba and Christian Eriksen. 

Club chairman and first-team coach Jonathan Knott said: "We felt it was important to the club. 

"With UniSun, we're always trying to push boundaries and push things forward and ultimately benefit as many people as we possibly can. 

"We're looking to be at the forefront of this being rolled out by a lot more clubs. 

"We hope to expand as a club over the next few years, we're now looking to get more projects on the go like the defibs, a social team with a focus on mental health, as well as making a huge push to get older girls teams out playing football," he said.