A concerned Tenby parent and football coach has raised issues relating to the town’s astro turf pitch claiming that there has been an increase in injuries at the facility due to the deterioration of the surface which has left it in a ‘terrible and dangerous’ state.

It has been claimed by the parent who also coaches youth teams from the town, that it will only be a matter of time before a child suffers a ‘horrible injury’ at the facility which sits in the grounds of Greenhill School and is used regularly by many youth teams in Tenby and adults for training.

The parent who has contacted Pembrokeshire County Council with their concerns, points to a decaying slippery surface, poor perimeter fencing, and lighting that is dangerously insufficient.

“Local football clubs have noticed a spike in injuries to both children and adults while using the facility, the most common injury as of late being a bang to the head after slipping backwards on the poor ageing surface,” they stated in correspondence to the Observer.

“Others include ankle injuries and on a couple of occasions clashes of heads, which could be caused by the lighting often operating at 50 per cent of its capacity, leaving large areas in near darkness!

“Within the facility are various goalposts, four of which look to be made of solid steel and are dark grey in colour. I question whether these meet any sort of safety standards as there is no give in them and with the sub standard lighting, it’s only a matter of time before a child suffers a horrible injury colliding with one of them,” they continued, urging Pembrokeshire County Council to invest in new 4G pitches, after new facilities were constructed at Haverfordwest , Milford Haven and Pembroke in recent months.

“Will Tenby be afforded the same investment some time soon or will the safety and welfare of our children continue to be put at risk for another decade?” stated the complainant.

“A representative from PCC recently met with members of various football clubs who were assured that the issues would be resolved and that the facility they pay premium prices to hire would be ‘fixed’.

“Less than a month later and already the lights are operating at less than 50 per cent, coupled with the foggy cold weather it has been an extremely dangerous week with numerous coaches having to adapt their sessions to suit the facility in considering the poor surface and unlit areas.

“We are encouraged to get out and exercise and instil the same habits into our children, yet how are we able to do this with such poor insufficient facilities on offer!

“To meet the demands of all local sporting groups this facility needs to be modified and upgraded and at the same time a new 4G pitch needs to be constructed to bring us in line with most other areas in Wales but how long will we wait?” they added.

When asked to comment on the matter a spokesperson for Pembrokeshire County Council confirmed that they had received a complaint/enquiry from one coach with regard to both issues and responded to them.

“We have not received any significant reports regarding the playing surface. These pitches can become slippery when wet or when participants aren’t wearing the appropriate footwear,” said the spokesperson.

“There have been no incidents reported to us regarding injuries related to the goals. They have been used at the pitch for more than five years and the fabric of the goals are similar to those used at any football club (fixed goals).

“We do not understand the relevance of the colour of the goals. If participants are likely to run into a goalpost then we would suggest that the activity being undertaken should be reviewed by the responsible coach (normally when five-a-side football is played, players - excluding the goalkeeper - are not permitted within the marked goal area).

“The pitch is due to be considered for refurbishment in the next 12 months in line with the expected lifespan of these pitches. This will be subject to capital finance approval (the cost is in the region of £500,000).

“A representative from the leisure centre has met with representatives of the club which raised concerns and given feedback,” they added.