A TOP Poole Speedway rider is back home recovering after being left with a bleed on his brain in a fight outside a Dorset pub.

Darcy Ward, 20, was given a brain scan in Poole Hospital following the altercation near the Churchill Arms in Sturminster Marshall, close to where he lives with Pirates manager Neil Middleditch, in the early hours of Saturday. It is thought that Mr Ward hit his head on the road after being punched.

The Australian superstar will miss Poole’s crucial Elite League Grand Final second leg meeting, scheduled for this evening.

Pirates manager Neil Middleditch said via Twitter earlier that Mr Ward was back home in Sturminster Marshall, where he lives with the team boss.

Police confirmed that they were called to a fight outside the pub at 1.20am on Saturday, but said the injuries reported to them were minor and no complaints had been made by the parties involved as of yesterday.

Speaking after visiting Mr Ward yesterday, Pirates manager Neil Middleditch told the Daily Echo: “He is still pretty groggy.

“He either got punched or hit from behind once. When you look at him he looks fine, but there’s a cut to the back of his head, which caused the damage. The doctors were very concerned about him.”

Mr Middleditch said he, Mr Ward, fellow Pirates star Chris Holder, club promoter Matt Ford and their partners had been at the pub on Friday night.

Mr Ford and Mr Middleditch both said they had left before the incident took place.

Mr Ford added: “I think it is reasonably well documented now that someone hopped out of a car and punched Darcy on Friday night.

“There were many people around that have given their version of events to say that Darcy was a totally innocent party.”