BRITAIN: Doctors treating Richard Hammond last night said the Top Gear presenter had "suffered a significant brain injury" when the jet-powered dragster he was driving crashed after reaching speeds approaching 480km/h.
The father of two had to be cut from the wreckage and was flown by air ambulance to the Leeds General Infirmary, which issued a statement about his condition after his wife and children had been to see him.
In the statement, the hospital trust said: "Mr Hammond has suffered a significant brain injury. It's still giving cause for concern as it is still early after the injury.
"However, we are reasonably optimistic that he will make a good recovery."
The two most serious possibilities are that he has suffered damage as a result of his brain slamming against the inside of his skull during the crash. Because of that arteries could have been ruptured. Doctors will also be fearful of spinal injuries.
As well as his family, Hammond (36) was visited by Top Gear co-presenters Jeremy Clarkson and James May. Yesterday the BBC defended its safety guidelines as the police and health and safety experts initiated joint inquiries into the crash.
The corporation said it had a "rigorous safety regime" for staff who put themselves in potentially dangerous situations, but it revealed it had also begun an internal investigation.
The BBC could face huge fines if it is found that proper guidelines were not followed.