A dad said that the defibrillator at a south London train station would not open when a passenger was in need of CPR.

The incident took place on Friday, May 31 shortly before 9.30am at North Sheen train station.

A dad was at the station with his two daughters and tried to help before paramedics arrived.

He said he gave CPR, but was “alarmed” that no staff nor passengers were able to open the cabinet which contained a defibrillator, adding that he believes the man was “lucky” if he survived.

A London Ambulance Service spokesperson said: “We were called on Friday, 31 May at 9.21am to reports of a person unwell at North Sheen railway station, TW9.

“We sent resources including ambulance crews and emergency responders to the scene.

“We treated a man and took him to hospital.”

The defibrillators at South Western Railway stations are fitted with a coded lock to help prevent vandalism and theft.

There are instructions on how to get the code to unlock them on the front of the case - by calling 999 and giving the location of the unit.