CYCLE SPEEDWAY: TWO cycle speedway mad brothers from Ipswich have been causing their mother major headaches after they both involved in crashes in the same week.Andrew and Kelvin Hardy, of Chatsworth Drive in Ipswich, are both laid up at home after two separate incidents left them needing hospital treatment.

TWO cycle speedway mad brothers from Ipswich have been causing their mother major headaches after they both involved in crashes in the same week.

Andrew and Kelvin Hardy, of Chatsworth Drive in Ipswich, are both laid up at home after two separate incidents left them needing hospital treatment.

Andrew injured his knee last Wednesday when he hit a concrete bike stand during a training session, just a day before his 17th birthday.

"He has fluid on his knee and swelling," said mum Jackie. "He had to spend his birthday on crutches which wasn't much fun for him."

The injury meant he was unable to compete in last weekend's European Cycle Speedway Championships at Great Blakenham Speedway Club and he was forced to sit on the sidelines instead.

His brother Kelvin, 14, did take part in the competition, but had to pull out of his last ride of the day on Saturday after a nasty crash left him nursing two damaged hands.

"He was sandwiched between two other riders and he tried to let his bike go and jump off, which is what they are trained to do for safety," said Jackie.

"But he didn't have any space at all and he landed awkwardly on his hands. It was awful for him, but I couldn't help thinking that I didn't want to go back to hospital again, three days after the last time. We had the same doctor and he even remembered me from the previous time."

Kelvin spent two nights in Ipswich Hospital and was released from the children's ward on Monday morning, still in quite a bad way.

He has badly broken the thumb of his left hand, which is now wired up, as well as the ring finger of his right hand, which leaves both out of action for the impending summer holidays.

"It was quite a shock for him when the accident first happened and he felt quite sick and dizzy," said Jackie.

"He's alright now though and we can all see the funny side really. He's going to have to rest for quite a while though and he'll be bored by the end of the week, I expect."

Yesterday Jackie was all set to make two separate journeys back to Ipswich hospital, one with each of her sons, who both ride for Kesgrave Cycle Speedway Club, within an hour and a half of each other.

"I seem to spending my life up at the hospital. Fortunately I haven't got any more sons so I won't be going back for a while – hopefully!"