Bradford speedway legend Gary Havelock is recovering in hospital after a horror smash left him in intensive care.

The 43-year-old dad, who used to ride for the Bradford Dukes, suffered broken ribs, a broken collarbone, a broken shoulder and a bleed on the brain after he came off his bike in an event in Redcar in front of fans on Thursday.

He is being treated at the James Cook memorial Hospital in Middlesbrough where he is now said to be in a stable condition.

The Redcar Bears’ captain and past world champion was hit on the back and neck by the rider from behind before the impact threw him into a fence.

It happened in the first lap of the fifth heat for Redcar against Edinburgh.

The former England Speedway skipper has had an MRI scan to reveal the full extent of his injuries.

Mr Havelock, who is married with a daughter, is patron of a new exhibition opening this summer in Bradford marking the greatest speedway moments in the city – including two World Finals held at Odsal stadium.

He was with the Bradford Dukes in 1987 and spent ten seasons with them.

The History of Bradford Speedway at Bradford Industrial Museum from August to September also coincides with the 20th anniversary of the biggest achievement of any Bradford rider – Mr Havelock winning the World Individual Championship in Wroclaw, Poland, in 1992.

Speedway enthusiast John Murphy, 53, of Cooper Lane, Buttershaw, whose brainchild was the exhibition, said: “It’s sad news about Gary. Lots of people in Bradford will remember him from his speedway days with the Dukes.

“While it won’t affect him being the patron of the exhibition it sounds as though he’s done a lot of damage to himself and it might affect his future speedway days.”

Mr Murphy is still keen to track down Havelock’s winning world championship bike because it could be part of the upcoming exhibition.

The last speedway events in Bradford were held in 1997 at Odsal stadium.

Two world finals were held there in 1985 and 1990 and the exhibition will celebrate these along with some of the great riders who came to Bradford over the years.

The exhibition is dedicated to the memory of Daniel ‘Danny Boy’ Marlow, who died this year and was a huge fan of speedway at Odsal stadium.