BERWICK Bandits rider Bastian Borke has been taken to hospital, after a horror crash in a meeting against Poole Pirates at Wimborne Road.

In the eighth heat of the SGB Championship contest, Borke was going down the back straight when he clipped the back wheel of Poole’s Tobias Thomsen, which sent him flying through the air, into the fence and landing heavily on the shale.

Medical staff instantly rushed to the 21-year-old’s aid, before an ambulance was brought onto track.

Borke then required lengthy attention, with former Pirates captain Rory Schlein, now skipper of the Bandits, also by the side of the young Dane throughout.

A county ambulance was called, with Borke described by Poole staff as “conscious and responsive” as he lay on the track.

After a delay of around half an hour, former Edinburgh Monarchs ace Borke was taken to hospital in the ambulance.

Earlier in the meeting, Berwick had lost their number one, Lewis Kerr, to injury.

A member of Poole Pirates in 2017, Kerr crashed out in a similar spot on the track to where Borke fell, and withdrew from the remainder of the meeting.

After a temporary fix had been found for the damaged fence after Borke’s crash, racing resumed again.

All 15 heats were completed, Poole claiming a 52-38 win.