Byrne has neck halo removed in recovery step

Shane Byrne has shown off he is neck halo-free in a major step towards his recovery from a horrific accident suffered at a Snetterton test last May.

The six-time Bennetts British Superbike champion suffered a broken neck and back in a nasty crash at the Norfolk track which required major surgery with doctors able to avoid leaving him paralysed.

With the aim of returning to full fitness with his neck, Byrne has been in a neck halo since leaving hospital which prevented any movement from his neck to provide the opportunity for natural healing.

Earlier today, the Be Wiser Ducati rider confirmed his extensive neck halo has been taken off having undergone a scan which has shown early bone growth progress. As a result Byrne has been switched to a neck brace until the end of August before the next scan on his neck.

“So there you have it, the halo is off,” Byrne wrote on Instagram. “Far from the end of the road though, it's the start of the next episode, the neck is literally just starting to show some signs of bone growth.

“I'm going to be in this brace now until the end of August, back for another scan, then hopefully start physio to try to get some movement.

“I'll have another CT scan at six months to see if there's any more progress bone growth wise then in nine months I should hopefully be able to have all the metal work removed from my spine.

“Long road ahead but a nice step made today, I can't even begin to tell you how good the 20-odd minute shower I just had felt!”

Byrne will miss the remainder of the current BSB campaign, with teammate Glenn Irwin’s younger brother Andrew filling in at the Be Wiser Ducati squad, but that hasn’t kept the multiple champion away from the paddock having been at Brands Hatch this weekend on media duty with Eurosport.