A PONTYPOOL father-of-three who almost died from a blood clot after breaking his leg in a football match is trying to raise awareness of the risks.

In 2001 John Jenkins suffered a life-threatening blood clot on his lung four weeks after he broke his leg playing football.

Now 49-year-old Mr Jenkins is backing an event at Cardiff Airport today to mark the first ever World Thrombosis Day, warning air passengers of the dangers of developing a blood clot while in hospital.

The event was launched to challenge the common perception people are more likely to develop blood clots in the air. In fact, the risk of developing a clot during time spent in hospital is 1,000 times higher than on aeroplane flights.

Qualified football referee Mr Jenkins is supporting the national Ask the Clots campaign, organised by Public Health Wales and Lifeblood, the thrombosis charity.

Mr Jenkins, a senior operator at Newport-based Tata Steel Europe, said when he was first told about the clot, it was a real shock.

He said: “I wasn’t aware of how at risk I was, and had I known, I would have asked my doctor for a risk assessment.

“As a husband, father and grandfather, my family’s health is my top priority. I now know to recognise the signs and encourage my family to stay as active as possible.

“I hope the event will encourage more people to ask their healthcare professional about clots, as without my quick diagnosis and treatment, I may not be alive.”

Research suggests each year 1,250 people in Wales are at risk of death from blood clots they have developed while staying in hospital.

Healthcare professionals will be on hand at the event, today at Cardiff airport, to highlight the risks of developing a clot and how to avoid them.