A BOWLING club member spoke of his comeback following open heart surgery and encouraged others to seek advice if they have health concerns of their own.

Kevin Nugent, 54, plays for Bradley Park in Wrexham during the summer and winter.

He told the Leader that earlier this year he experienced some dizzy spells and consulted his doctor.

Within a couple of weeks further tests revealed he had a deformed aortic heart valve, which he had likely had since birth.

Mr Nugent, who lives in Irby on the Wirral and also plays for Hoylake Central and Melrose Bowling Club, said: “I didn’t know anything about it so it was an absolute shock.

“I’m not the sort of person who is generally ill and I have played football a lot in my life so I am reasonably healthy.

“I saw a cardiologist and because of my age I needed a mechanical valve replacement.

“I had the operation in the end of August and I can’t speak highly enough of the Liver, Heart and Chest Hospital in Liverpool.

“I was in hospital for a week and then recovery-wise they gave me guidelines.

“They told me to take it easy for a few weeks and then gradually build up again with walking and other exercises.”

Mr Nugent said he waited seven weeks before being fully signed off and returning to bowls.

He said he was delighted to have won 21 to 7 in a singles match at Bradley just last week.

“I did play well and for me it was just the first achievement of getting back on the green and playing competitively,” he added.

“I wasn’t to worried about whether I won or not. I just wanted to play well, but it felt great.”

The semi-retired online trader told the Leader he is now advising other people who have concerns about their hearts not to be afraid about seeing their doctor.

He said: “I would say if you think something is wrong, get it checked - especially men, as I think men are a bit more reluctant to get problems sorted.

“Yes it might take some time, but in my case if I hadn’t I could have been in serious trouble.

“It would have been a gradual deterioration so I might not have noticed or put it down to age.

“When I had my heart checked they told me straight away that I shouldn’t be running for buses or cycling uphill. Three months earlier I had been shovelling concrete, so the next thing could have been a heart attack.

“As it was, everything was all sorted in good time and because of the standard of the treatment I had, I am well on the way to recovery and being even fitter than I was before.”