SHEFFIELD reserve Paul Cooper is to have surgery to repair a badly broken ankle.

Cooper, who has been hitting the big scores since moving to reserve, crashed out of Sunday’s defeat at Newcastle alongside partner Richard Hall.

Hall has been discharged from hospital with severe bruising and inflammation of the leg but intends to ride against Newport at Owlerton on Thursday. Before then, however, his pit crew will be working hard on machinery as his bike was destroyed in the accident.

Said Cooper: “I’m going to be in hospital for a day or two more. I need a CT scan because there is a lot of damage to the ankle and then some sort of operation.”