PIRATES chiefs Matt Ford and Neil Middleditch led the well wishes to Gary Havelock after the former Poole hero suffered multiple injuries in a horror smash.

Speedway legend Havelock was in action for Redcar Bears against Edinburgh at South Tees Motorsports Park on Thursday when a major crash left him requiring around 45 minutes of on-track medical attention, which included a morphine drip being administered.

Bears confirmed that the 43-year-old former world champion had spent the night in intensive care at Middlesbrough’s James Cook University Hospital, with the rider yesterday said to be in a “stable” condition.

Havelock’s father Brian, the Redcar promoter, revealed his son had sustained a broken left shoulder, broken upper left arm, which had already been plated, as well as three broken ribs.

Bears team manager Jitendra Duffill said Havelock had complained of initial pain in both his neck and back, while he could also not feel his left arm. The Evening Gazette reported that Havelock was yesterday awaiting an MRI scan to reveal the full extent of his injuries.

The Pirates asset, who made two appearances for Poole last season, captained the club during his stint in Dorset from 1998 to 2002, and he is 22nd on their all-time list of scorers with 1,423 points.

Pirates team boss Middleditch told the Daily Echo: “To have injuries at any time of your career is bad but for Havvy to have them at this stage of his career is really very sad.

“I worked with Havvy for years. He was the mainstay of my England team as well as being at Poole.

“He is a legend. Sometimes people use that word too loosely but Havvy really is – not just at Poole but in the sport in general.

“He was an English world champion and I am sure everybody in the speedway world will be wishing him well.”

Promoter Ford added: “Havvy was captain for me for four years during the first part of my reign – from 1999 to the end of 2002.

“He was – and is still – an absolutely tremendous captain and one of those guys who is right up there and has been at the very pinnacle of our sport.

“All we can do is wish Havvy a very speedy recovery and hope that the news we get over the next few days is better.”

The rider’s wife, Jayne, told the Middlesbrough-based Evening Gazette: “Over the years, I’ve seen people walk away from crashes and I’ve seen others slip away, so having him still here is good news.”