Rugby player ends up in hospital after falling in dog poo

An amateur rugby player who ended up in hospital after falling in dog poo during a match has said the council should ban dogs from local sports pitches.

Adam Lang, 28, who plays for Tondu RFC in Bridgend, said he did not realise a cut had become infected until he felt an "unbearable" pain in his arm following the game.

He said it was a problem players "shouldn't have to deal with", and that the incident would always be on his mind after the infection spread and he had to spend more than 24 hours in hospital.

Bridgend council said it was considering banning dogs from marked sports pitches across the county borough.

Lang was playing second-row for Tondu on Saturday 14 February against visitors from Crymych, Pembrokeshire, when the incident happened.

He said he remembered falling from a line-out and cutting his elbow during the match.

Despite receiving treatment from the team's physio at half-time, Lang did not realise the cut on his elbow had been infected until he noticed swelling and increasing pain during a night shift that evening.

He visited A&E the following day where he was prescribed antibiotics but the infection spread to his hand.

The situation worsened and he was admitted to the Royal Glamorgan Hospital and put on a course of intense IV antibiotics after being told the cause of infection was most likely dog faeces.

"It's been very tough mentally. Staying in hospital is never a nice thing to have to do but the support of the club, team mates, family and work colleagues has helped massively," he said.

Tondu RFC's club chairman, Graham Thomas, said they have had problems with dog faeces being found on their pitches at Pandy Park.

"It's really frustrating when it happens. This has happened before but not for a while," he said.

"I'd say 99% of dog walkers are responsible but it only takes that 1% to give every dog walker a bad name."

Thomas added he would like to see Bridgend council follow a number of other local authorities in Wales by banning dogs from marked pitches.

"It's something that should be mandatory if adults and children train there practically daily.

"Why should dogs be allowed to run around on the pitches? Pandy Park is a big place with plenty of space for everyone."

Some local councils including Rhondda Cynon Taf and Caerphilly have implemented a Public Spaces Protection Order which prohibits dogs from play areas and marked pitches across the boroughs.

A Bridgend council spokesperson said it had recently requested a report which considers prohibiting dogs from marked sports pitches across the county borough.

They said: "If members of the public witness any instances of dog fouling, we would encourage them to report it by completing a form on our website."

They added that the "small minority" of dog owners who do not clean up after their dogs should "consider the serious impact their actions can have on other members of the public".