trace statement outputs html code

I am trying to get a trace statement to just out put the contents of a dynamic text field.
What I get is this...
<TEXTFORMAT LEADING="2"><P ALIGN="LEFT"><FONT FACE="Arial" SIZE="12" COLOR="#000000" LETTERSPACING="0" KERNING="0">welcome to my problem</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT>
ABC
<TEXTFORMAT LEADING="2"><P ALIGN="LEFT"><FONT FACE="Arial" SIZE="12" COLOR="#000000" LETTERSPACING="0" KERNING="0">welcome to my problem</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT>.html

any help would be great.
Thanks
Bill