The consultant who helped Conor Cummins make his TT return this year following last year’s horrific crash has said he is looking forward to watching the Ramsey man in today’s Senior race.

Consultant for trauma and orthopaedics at the Royal Liverpool University Hospital, Mr Marcus de Matas, said: ‘I am really pleased Conor has made such a fantastic recovery, and I am looking forward to seeing him in the Senior race. I understand he’s very dedicated to his career and grateful he’s able to get back on the track.’

Conor, 25, was treated by specialists at the Royal following his high speed crash at the Verandah in the Senior last year, which saw him suffer severe spinal injuries.

He broke five bones in his back, fractured his pelvis, suffered nerve damage in his left arm, dislocated his left knee and fractured his upper left arm. Initially he was taken to Noble’s Hospital before being transferred to the Royal, which regularly treats injured TT riders.

His crash is the spectacular climax to the 3D TT film Closer to the Edge.

‘We have a highly skilled trauma and orthopaedics team here at the Royal who provide an outstanding level of care and treatment to patients,’ said Mr de Matas.

‘We see many injured sportsmen come through our wards and the standard of services they receive is crucial to their career. Not only have we ensured Conor is mobile again but we have made sure he doesn’t lose his career completely.

‘The fact that Conor is now able to return to such an extreme sport after the injuries he had just shows how fantastic our services here at the Royal are.’

Mr de Matas said Conor had two titanium rods placed in his back. Donor tendons and ligaments were used in his left knee to reconstruct it after the damage and he only retained movement in the fingers of his left hand six months ago. He had four operations in total and was in and out of hospital for six months.

Conor said: ‘If it hadn’t had been for the excellent care and expertise of the doctors and nurses at the Royal I would never have been able to race again.

‘Racing is my life, and it has always been a dream of mine to win the Senior, and now thanks to them I can work on fulfilling that dream.’