Farquhar back in intensive care after North West crash

Ryan Farquhar, who was injured in a crash at this year’s North West 200, has been taken back into intensive care and is being described as ‘seriously ill’ by the Belfast Trust.

The road racing veteran tucked the front while leading the first Supertwins race and was struck by a fellow competitor as he went down, suffering a number of broken ribs which in turn lacerated his liver and developed an internal bleed.

Having undergone a successful operation to control the bleed last weekend, Farquhar was initially moved out of the intensive care unit at the Belfast Royal Victoria hospital with doctors optimistic he’d make a full recovery. However, he was returned to the ICU late last week and is now said to be seriously ill. 

The turn comes just days after Farquhar thanked the medics who had treated him both trackside and in hospital in his first interview since the crash. 

The other rider involved in the incident, Dan Cooper, was taken to hospital with two dislocated shoulders but returned to the paddock before the weekend was out.