DARRYL Ritchings is starting to show signs of improvement after the injured Swindon Robins rider was brought out of sedation.

The Purton youngster suffered a head injury in a crash during the Coventry Bees meet and has been in Oxford’s John Radcliffe Infirmary ever since.

Team manager Alun Rossiter was pleased with the news but said their is still a long way to go for Ritchings, who has a slight chest infection at present and is still somewhat disorientated.

“We are still very cautious, but it this is a big thing. Having spoke to his mother this is more positive than what we have had previously.

“It is slowly, slowly and we cannot rush thing things or pre-empt anything there is still a long way to go.

“The good news is that Darryl knew his daughter Poppy, and was also aware of things like his mother’s birthday.

“Apparently the disorientation is normal for a youngster who has been through what he has, and it’s now a case of taking things slowly day by day.”

The news that Ritchings is on the road to recovery will come as a massive boost for Robins as they prepare for their Elite League double-header with Poole today.

However, one of the Abbey Stadium riders, Steve Worrall, will not be returning to Swindon for the evening meet as he heads north of the border to race for Edinburgh Monarchs in the Premier League.

The 22-year-old was set to miss both meetings with Kent Kings’ Benji Compton coming in to replace, but the club have now manage to arrange to get Worrall to Scotland in time to compete for both teams.

“Rosco has been trying to find me a flight all week,” Worrall said. “It is great that he has because I want to keep doing all I can for Swindon. I’m riding really well at the moment so I need to ride as much as can.”

Worrall will send one of his bikes to Edinburgh this morning along with his father and mechanic, while he travel to Poole with his mother before catching a flight from Heathrow to Edinburgh.

“Rosco has sorted a mechanic for me when I get to Poole to help me when I get there,” Worrall said.

“It is great that he feels that I will help give him a good chance of winning down in Poole.”