IPSWICH Witches' rider Kozza Smith rider cannot wait to get back on his bike today after narrowly avoiding critical injuries in a horror smash.Smith, who was making his debut for the Ipswich Witches, suffered a collapsed lung and was forced to spend his 21st birthday in hospital after another rider clipped his front wheel and caused him to crash into a fence.

Naomi Cassidy

IPSWICH Witches' rider Kozza Smith rider cannot wait to get back on his bike today after narrowly avoiding critical injuries in a horror smash.

Smith, who was making his debut for the Ipswich Witches, suffered a collapsed lung and was forced to spend his 21st birthday in hospital after another rider clipped his front wheel and caused him to crash into a fence.

Despite his internal injury and a few broken bones, the plucky Australian is desperate to get back into the sport that he has been passionate about since he was a child.

The fall happened on Ipswich Witches' opening night of the season at Foxhall on Thursday and was one of a series of heavy crashes during the evening.

Smith's accident, which was the worst of the night and saw the medics escort him to hospital, left him struggling to breathe.

He finally blacked out and was taken to hospital in an ambulance where it was discovered that he had suffered a collapsed lung, four cracked ribs, a shoulder fracture and a broken arm.

Speaking from his hospital bed, Smith, who rides for King's Lynn in the Premier League and doubles up for Ipswich, said: “I knew I was not in the best of states because I do not usually stay down after a fall.

“I could not breathe when I hit the ground.

“People were asking me where it hurt but all I could I could think about what that I couldn't breathe. I passed out for a couple of hours after that.

“Everyone has said to me that I will never forget my 21st birthday. I just spent all day in hospital and had a few visitors. Some of them brought a cake along. It is not where I expected to be for my 21st.

“I've had a few crashes but this is definitely the worst it has been for me. I hope I will be back on my feet soon.”

Amazingly the day after the crash, Smith, who lives in King's Lynn, was on his feet by the afternoon and raring to get back to racing.

He was discharged from hospital on Saturday and it is thought it will be six weeks until his injuries heal.

Last year was Smith's first season in the UK and he added: “The crash happened on the first lap of my first meeting so it was a bit disappointing.

“I was confident about the meeting and looking forward to it. I thought it would give me a lot more experience.

“It is a bit of the adrenaline thing. I'm ready to get going again - it is only the injuries holding me back. We all know what could happen when you put on that helmet.

“I want to thank everyone who helped me out, the hospital, paramedics, medics, and management.”