Football saved me from death or prison

Goalkeeper Chris Dowling has pulled off some magnificent saves on and off the pitch.

When the 31-year-old first signed up to Street Football Wales four years ago, he was sleeping rough in Swansea and suffering serious alcohol addiction.

His battle with the bottle was so severe that he needed to drink before a match – sudden withdrawal could have killed him.

Chris says it is thanks to a Street Football Wales project, funded by the Big Lottery Fund, that he is not in jail or dead.

Watch a short film about his story below.