British Superbike rider Christian Iddon needed surgery to save his finger before racing at Snetterton at the weekend.

Iddon, from Stockport, was working as a labourer when he smashed his finger while knocking in posts, leaving the top of his left index finger hanging off.

A visit to Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital revealed his fingertip was hanging on by the tendon, just millimetres from needing to be removed.

Stitches were used to temporarily attach the fingertip allowing Iddon to race, and he was due to return for an operation to attach it properly on Monday.

Stockport lawyer among 70 people rescued after Royal Iris ferry runs aground

But Iddon took his place on the grid at the Norfolk track for the Tyco BMW team over the weekend, coming 19th and sixth in the two races.

A tough start in race one saw Iddon receive contact going in to turn two, an incident that would leave the former Supermoto Champion with a damaged clutch lever, broken boot, and a near miss on the grass with a stranded bike.

The result left him in last place, struggling for gears, and in need to refasten his boot several times during the race, leaving him in 19h place at the flag and out of the points for the first time this season.

He started 14th in race two, and elected for the hard tyre.

Iddon climbed his way up the order and finishing a shortened ‘red flagged’ race in sixth place.

He said: “It’s a shame the race didn’t run the distance. Sixth from 14th isn’t a bad result though, and keeps me in the hunt.”

Iddon now sits fifth in the overall championship standings, while the series now moves on to Thruxton in Hampshire on July 22-24.