A non-league footballer who broke his ankle and was left without pay for 10 weeks has called for improved medical facilities at non-league grounds.

Neil Almond, 28, of Lightbown Street, Darwen, was injured in a tackle on January 2 while playing for his home town team against Padiham at the Anchor Ground.

Since then he has had to return to hospital for treatment 18 times and, although he said his ankle is still painful, he has recently returned to work part-time as a self-employed plasterer.

But father-of-two Neil said he was worried that if his injury had been more serious, the sparse medical support at the ground could have been vital.

He said: "I started playing for Darwen when I was 16 and went to Padiham for a year in between.

"After playing for them for so long I would have expected to have been treated better.

"Some of my team mates pulled me to the side line and put a top on me. I was screaming in pain from the injury.

"My mate, who was a substitute, carried me to the changing room and I was just left there.

"I had to ring my dad on my mobile and he came and took my boot off for me so I could put some trousers on because it was cold.

"He ended up having to carry me out and reversed his car into the ground to take me to hospital.

"It's a worry and I'd hate to think what might have happened if I had injured my head or neck and needed proper medical assistance.

"I think this definitely needs to be looked at before someone is seriously hurt."

Neil added: "My manager, Steve Mullen, was fantastic and collected money from the lads for me to help me out.

"He said he had been told that I would still be paid wages and he said he kept asking for it but nothing arrived."

But club chairman Kevin Henry today said he was not aware of any agreement about wages and said he had not been asked for medical support.

He said he would be happy to assess the situation if it was needed.

A spokesman for North West Counties League Second Division, the league Darwen FC belongs to, said: "All the clubs in our league are required to have a qualified first aider in attendance but there are no rules which say there should be more than this."

Darwen FC lost their match to Padiham 4-2.