Headteachers are to begin taking delivery of life-saving defibrillators with a promise that all 18,000 state-funded schools in England will have at least one machine by July.

Last year the government said it would explore supplying all schools with at least one defibrillator in the roll-out of the largest programme ever in the UK.

In what has been described as a 'landmark moment' the new first aid equipment - which can deliver life-saving treatment to someone experiencing a cardiac arrest - is to soon begin arriving in classrooms.

More than 20,000 defibrillators are set to be sent to almost 18,000 schools in the coming weeks and months.

Secondary schools on larger sites may be given two or more defibrillators - with one designed to be placed in an internal cabinet near the school's sports facilities where a cardiac arrest is more likely to happen.

The government says it is also supporting schools in making their new defibrillators available to the surrounding neighbourhood - with external heated defibrillator cabinets being provided to some primary and special schools in communities where provision is lower.

The British Heart Foundation, Resuscitation UK and St John Ambulance alongside charity The Oliver King Foundation - set up by the parents of Oliver King who died of a cardiac arrest while swimming at school age 12 - will all be involved in giving teachers and support staff the tools and knowledge they need to operate the defibrillators including offering specially-designed awareness videos that can be shown in staff meetings and assemblies.

Every school, promises education Secretary Gillian Keegan, should have their defibrillator by the end of the academic year this July.

She said: "We’re celebrating a huge milestone as we start deliveries of defibrillators to schools, working towards every school having one by the end of the academic year.

"None of this would have come about without the relentless and brave campaigning of Mark King and the Oliver King Foundation, and we are extremely grateful to him and other leading charities for the ongoing support they will doubtless provide schools from lesson plans to staff training."