Mike Booth: Rider returns after second life-changing crash

A Superbike racer who recovered from two life-changing crashes has returned to the race track for the third time.

Mike Booth, from East Yorkshire, severed his pelvis from his spine during a crash in his late teens, with fears he would never walk again.

He later became professional and signed with Ducati, but an Isle of Man TT crash in 2022 saw Mr Booth, 32, break multiple bones in both legs.

After his lower leg was amputated, Mr Booth decided to compete again.

Mr Booth, from Brough, returned to the track at the British Superbikes Championship at Snetterton Circuit in Norfolk, securing a "rider of the day" award on Sunday.

"I've never felt like I've been so injured that I need to stop racing," he said.

"It has never crossed my mind that a broken back, broken pelvis or broken legs has to stop you."

Mike Booth has raced since he was six, starting off on motocross bikes before switching to road racing

The rider has raced since the age of six, starting off on motocross bikes before he switched to track racing at the age of 13.

"For the last 20 years I've been racing on tarmac and trying to win as many races as I can," he told BBC Look North.

"My dad, my grandad and my uncle had raced bikes, so it was almost inevitable, it was in the blood."

Mike Booth required two metal rods in his lower back after his crash at Brands Hatch

A crash in 2009 at Brands Hatch in Kent left him injured on the track, with another bike hitting his back at 80mph (129km/h).

"Perhaps I was a bit naïve and maybe I thought my bad luck was out the way," he said.

"These things are rare, I've crashed bikes literally hundreds of times and 99% of the time you skin your elbow, bruise your leg or wake up sore the next morning."

After a lengthy recovery and an operation to insert two metal rods in his back, he got back on the bike and signed for one of the country's biggest race teams.

Returning to the track at Snetterton Circuit in Norfolk on Sunday, Mr Booth secured a "rider of the day" award

While competing at the Isle of Man TT road race, Mr Booth suffered a second life-changing crash during the final lap of his practise sessions on 3 June 2022.

"I remember being put on a helicopter and waking up in a room with doctors and nurses putting tubes and cannulas in me, I remember there being a lot of blood," he recalled.

"I'd broken tibia and fibula on both sides, both of my femurs, fractured two or three vertebra in my back, broken a rib, punctured a lung and various minor cuts and bruises."

The rider spent two months in hospital in Liverpool "in so much pain" and required multiple operations.

"My foot effectively died so they had to amputate the bottom of my right leg," he said.

"We've seen people without limbs doing amazing things, so I didn't feel like the fact that I'd been injured had to stop me doing what I wanted to do."

George Booth, Mike's father, said: "We feared the worst but hoped for the best, it wasn't as bad as it could have been.

"Within three weeks, once he'd got off the drugs in hospital and started talking a bit more lucidly, it was quite clear we weren't selling any motorbikes - it was never really an option."

After months of physio sessions and exercising, Mr Booth felt ready to take place in a competitive race again - but his family required some convincing.

"I've put my family through a lot of pain over the years, particularly over the last year," he said.

"I wouldn't want to do this without the support of my family and luckily enough I've got that support."

Reaching speeds above 140mph (225km/h), Mr Booth said he overcame an initial problem of his prosthetic leg touching the back brake and "loved every bloody second of it".

"It has been over a year since I raced a bike and it hasn't felt that long, but I feel like I'm at home and I'm back doing what I love doing," he said.

"I'm addicted to enjoying myself, I love having fun and this is great fun."