The muddiest sporting pitches in the UK – where the most matches are rained off or affected by inclement weather – are in Wales, according to research by laundry appliance brand Belling.
The study combined Met Office weather data with research amongst grassroots sports clubs across the UK, looking at the number of games rained-off or affected by water-logged pitches.
Belling’s survey found that thousands of football, rugby and hockey fixtures are cancelled every winter in the UK, with the nation’s poor weather being largely to blame.
According to the research, the top ten locations most likely to have a fixture affected by wet weather and poorly maintained pitches were named as:
- Cardiff
- Glasgow
- Preston
- Huddersfield
- Plymouth
- Blackpool
- Carlisle
- Manchester
- Gloucester
- Liverpool
Belling also named the dirtiest sports team in the UK, but instead of judging dangerous tackles, dissent or the number of red cards given, it called out to its social media community for the muddiest sporting snaps – the filthiest of which has received team sponsorship to purchase new kits, plus its own Belling Sensicare machine to keep them pristine.
Rugby team Haverfordwest Ladies, based in Pembrokeshire, Wales, was named the dirtiest team, regularly battling muddy and waterlogged conditions to perform near top of their division. The ladies team plays on a Sunday, after the men’s team uses the pitch on a Saturday – meaning that the ground is already badly-churned by the time the women’s side take to the field.
Jane Rylands, Marketing Manager for Belling UK, said: “We’ve loved undertaking this research into the UK’s muddiest pitches. There are thousands of grassroots clubs across the UK who turn up and play in the very worst weather. Unfortunately, we can’t replace all of the waterlogged pitches, but we can provide a hard-working, trusty washing machine – one that’ll be tough on mucky footie shirts and hockey shorts. We’ve even added our Stain+ feature so that you can change the intensity of the wash depending on how dirty the clothes are.
“Belling has been a household name for more than 100 years, and we’re so excited to be branching out from cooking appliances into the world of laundry. We’ve been helping families cook those memorable meals for so long, and we’re looking forward to supporting Mums and Dads around the country in removing those tough mud-soaked stains and looking after the most delicate of baby’s blankets for years to come.”
Belling’s new Sensicare collection is the brand’s first step into the world of laundry. The new range – which includes four washing machines, a washer-dryer, two tumble dryers, and a 15-place setting dishwasher - means Belling now provides a complete range of home appliances.
The 60cm A+++ rated Sensicare washing machines – which range in capacity from 7kg to a huge 10kg – have a host of innovative features which underline Belling’s family friendly reputation. These include:
- Pluswash – allows you to pause the wash mid-cycle to add extra items.
- Hydrocare Drum – state-of-the-art, eco-friendly drum technology which keeps clothes in contact with water for longer to improve wash performance and efficiency and protects clothes from damage.
- Sensiwash –an integrated sensor that weighs the load to adjust water and energy requirements to save time and money.
- Timesaver – completes a standard wash cycle 33% more quickly without losing cleaning performance
- Stain+ - allows you to change the intensity of the wash depending on how dirty the clothes are
- Sensitouch – a multi-function ergonomic touch control display which allows you to customise each wash
- My Wash – a memory feature which allows you to save your favourite wash cycle, settings and functions
All the models feature Safetouch heat resistant doors, a bigger than average Easyload porthole door and the 9kg and 10kg models use a Silentdrive Inverter Motor – a high-performance motor, with a market-leading 12 year parts warranty, which reduces noise and increases energy efficiency, making these products 30% more efficient than even the top A+++ rating.
