Bracknell man's athlete's foot 'began to rot leg'

A man who nearly lost his leg to "flesh-eating bacteria" after developing athlete's foot has said he is lucky to be alive.

Steven Holzman, from Bracknell in Berkshire, treated his foot with cream from a pharmacy.

But the next day it had swollen up and he was taken to hospital where he had three operations in four days.

Doctors found he had developed necrotizing fasciitis, which had begun to rot the flesh from his foot to his hip.

They believe Mr Holzman contracted the rare flesh-attacking bacterial infection through a small cut between his toes while he was working in wet conditions as a builder.