Fake football pitches could cause CANCER

He made the demand after his 18-year-old lad Lewis was diagnosed with Hodgkin's Lymphoma after diving about on the synthetic field.

The imitation pitches are becoming more popular across the UK but there are growing concerns about the potential health consequences.

Many are sprayed with rubber pellets, which keeps the fake grass upright and helps replicate a field.

They are made from a toxic cocktail of ingredients and campaigners fear players could become sick if they breathe in fumes, swallow them or the debris becomes lodged in grazes and scuffs.

Mr Maguire, 52, gave up his job as chief executive of NHS Cumbria when his teenage son became ill and said there was a direct link between the rubber crumbs and cancer.

"The more I look into it, the more horrified I am," he said.

"If people knew where the black rubber pellets came from and were made of they would think twice about letting their kids train there.

"Anyone who thinks swallowing half a teaspoon a week of that stuff is a good idea is barking mad."

The health pro believes Lewis, who had a trial at Leeds United, was more likely to get sick because he was a goalkeeper and came in contact with the ground more often.

He said football bosses should not allow further facilities to be built until more research has been done.

The family of former Liverpool and Everton defender Gary Ablett raised concerns about 3G surfaces after he died aged 46 from blood cancer.

Mr Maguire added: "It is obscene so little research has been done.

"This multibillion-dollar industry is conducting an industrial-scale experiment on our kids - it's a scandal."

The FA said it was monitoring research.

(dailystar.co.uk)