Curran injures back

THE Tour of the North Pennines road race at Carlisle on Sunday was abandoned after former event-winner Paul Curran suffered serious back injuries in a collision with a motorcycle.

The former Commonwealth Games champion from Thornaby, Teesside, was taken to hospital in Carlisle and later transferred to Newcastle General Hospital, where he was found to be suffering from a crushed vertebra. He underwent an operation on his back on Monday afternoon, when surgeons inserted a metal plate.

Curran, who was in a lone lead, two minutes ahead of the field, was thrown from his machine when the accident occurred just after the race had joined the main A69 Brampton by-pass. Officials halted the race, 10 miles from its finish in Carlisle.