A Manx charity is urging the public to donate to its work that funds defibrillators they distribute across the island.

Craig’s Heartstrong Foundation has received ’overwhelming’ support from the public following a post they shared on social media encouraging people to donate.

They were motivated after seeing Christian Eriksen, a Danish footballer, suffer a cardiac arrest at Denmark’s opening Euro 2020 match on Saturday.

The charity was set up in the name of Craig Lunt, a Manx footballer, who died from an undiagnosed heart condition aged 25.

Paula Lunt, Craig’s mother, was touched by the donations.

She said: ’I’ve been crying my eyes out.

’I’m just overwhelmed, I can’t put it into words, I just get so emotional because it’s such a lovely thing. ’It’s amazing how people have reacted because, with the pandemic, we’ve been down about 75% on donations.’

The charity is teamed up with Cardiac Risk in the Young (CRY) to provide heart screenings to those between the ages of 14 and 35 years old.

Due to the pandemic, CRY hasn’t been able to travel to the island with the necessary staff and equipment, plus screenings have not been available.

The 63-year-old said: ’What upsets me most is how many people have died that we haven’t heard about because they haven’t been screened.’

She hopes they will be able to travel soon and she will ensure the public know when the screenings are up and running again.

She added: ’Please get tested because, like my Craig, you might not wake up in the morning.’

The reason the charity started funding defibrillators, with their main aim being screenings, was because of Fabrice Muamba, an English footballer, who collapsed on the pitch in 2012 during an FA Cup quarter-final match and also suffered a cardiac arrest.

’I thought, "right, that’s what we’re going to do next, we’ve got to do defibs",’ Mrs Lunt said.

She continued: ’I was in bits until I found out he was okay because I was thinking about his mother and to see him now, knowing he’s going to be fine, makes me cry every time because my Craig didn’t get that chance.’

She explained the pride she felt knowing the Manx public were taking the time to read Craig’s story and donate.

The founder continued: ’I’m just so proud of Craig’s legacy and that these people are actually acknowledging my charity.

’I would not let another mother be in my position if I can help it.’

The defibrillators most recently donated will be put ’anywhere where they’re allowed’.

Mrs Lunt, from Douglas, added: ’We’re putting them in the remotest of places as well because people enjoy our lovely island so much, you just don’t know, you just want to be prepared.

’Also, as many telephone boxes as we can get, we’ll put them in.’

There were only two defibrillators when the charity started raising money to distribute them across the island and now there are over 450 units.

On Tuesday, Christian Eriksen released a statement thanking the public for their support and saying he felt ’fine under the circumstances.’

Donations are being taken for defibrillators via the charity’s JustGiving page.