Vital testing which could identify previously undiagnosed heart conditions is being offered to BAE Systems apprentices in Barrow.

Charity, Cardiac Risk in the Young (CRY), has arranged the screenings on Wednesday this week following an approach from Barrow-based Rolls Royce engineer David Hughes, whose 28-year-old son Daniel died suddenly in 2015.

Daniel was at home in March 2015 when, having failed to get up for work, his parents found him in his bedroom. Unable to rouse him they performed CPR but were unable to revive him.

Since then, Mr Hughes and his family have worked with CRY to draw attention to the range of conditions that can cause young, sudden cardiac death.

Now CRY is bringing staff to Barrow to offer screening tests, with more than 100 apprentices already signed up.

Mr Hughes said: "From my own personal experience, having lost my son at the age of 28 from an undiagnosed heart condition, I can’t stress enough the importance of attending if you have an appointment.

“It only takes 15 minutes to have the ECG and, if it picks an issue, up the CRY team is on hand to provide advice.”

“It’s great that BAE Systems has decided to screen a number of their new apprentices here in Barrow. I hope this is the start of a regular series of testing that could change and potentially save a life.”

Ian Burns, safety, health and environment director at BAE Systems, added: “Raising awareness of this condition is vital and if just one person is given advice as a result of the screening it will have been time well spent.”