Injury-jinxed 400 metres star Iwan Thomas has had his Commonwealth Games preparations hampered - after being bitten by a dog!

The reigning British one-lap record-holder was out training in Telegraph Woods in West End with his coach Mike Smith when a terrier bit into his calf.

Thomas, who has just moved back to Southampton from Loughborough to be reunited with Smith, reported the incident to the police after having typhoid and diptheria jabs at an NHS drop-in centre - at, of all places, Bitterne!

After sprinting to European and Commonwealth glory in 1998, Thomas, below, has been hit by a succession of injuries - but never one as bizarre as this.

He said: "I couldn't believe it. I go to Telegraph Woods every Wednesday with Mike and usually the dog walkers get out of your way as a matter of courtesy.

"But I did one lap and this dog nearly went for me the first time and when I came round again the owner made no effort to get out of the way.

"At first I thought I'd pulled a calf muscle and it was only when my one of my training partners said: 'Did that dog just bite you?' that I realised what had happened. When I looked down, my tights had a big hole in them.

"Because I'm a skinny boy it went down to the bone and it's still quite sore and bruised. I'm on antibiotics and everything, but I'm determined to carry on training.

"I've been training really hard and not missed any sessions and then to be bitten by a dog is unbelievable.

"I've had some excuses in my time, but at least Mike was there to witness it!

"The woman owner didn't even apologise, but if a dog's that aggressive it should have its mouth muzzled."

Dog bite apart, Thomas is loving life back in Southampton and relishing the prospect of having one last stab at glory for Wales in the Commonwealth Games in Melbourne in March.

"I've got four months to get myself as fit as I can. If I'm running well I will do the individual event and if not I'll just do the relay and then call it a day," he said.