Sports fans in Cardiff spared vuvuzela

Vuvuzelas will not become a feature of Wales rugby or football matches

Sports fans in Cardiff will be largely spared the low-pitched drone of the vuvuzela that has become one of the big issues at the World Cup.

The horn-like instruments are expected to appear at UK sports arenas following their impact in South Africa.

However, officials say they will not be allowed at the Millennium Stadium, the Swalec cricket stadium or football matches at Cardiff City Stadium.

The vuvuzelas have divided fans, who seem to either love or hate the noise.

Gerry Toms, stadium manager at the Millennium Stadium, said: "Air horns are already banned for all our rugby and football matches and we're now extending that to the vuvuzela.

"It's the singing and the roar of the crowd you'll hear at the Millennium Stadium and we're taking this small step to ensure that this tradition survives long into the future."

Mr Toms said not only would the atmosphere suffer, but the instrument would not meet UK health and safety standards with the decibel level above the acceptable standard.

Cardiff City FC fans will also be unable to take vuvuzelas to home games because the club already bans all musical instruments and has done for several seasons.

Glamorgan chief executive Alan Hamer said cricket fans already created a great atmosphere at the Swalec Stadium.

"We don't need the added noise to create an atmosphere in the Swalec Stadium as we have such a fantastic ambience, our Welsh support are typically vocal in song for our domestic games, as I'm sure the supporters will be at our England v Australia international on Thursday," he said.

Bread of Heaven

Richard Thomas, of Cardiff & Co, which promotes the city, said there was nothing more rousing for a team than hearing the collective voices of thousands of fans singing traditional hymns and arias.

"As a Welshman, I can testify at first hand how that feels - the hairs standing upright on the back of the neck," he said.

"The singing generates the passion and the atmosphere or the 'hwyl' as we say in Wales.

"I'm not surprised that the Welsh capital city has taken this decision. Vuvuzela or Bread of Heaven? - no contest really."

A spokesman for football's Premier League said on Wednesday it was up to individual clubs to decide their own policy.

Cardiff Blues, the regional rugby team who play at the Cardiff City Stadium, said they had not taken a decision either way about vuvuzelas, which have been popular at sporting events in South Africa since the early 1990s.