Oxford Cheetahs Danish speedway ace Brian Andersen is out of Friday's Elite League clash against Ipswich.

The Dane, who rides with a permanently broken shoulder, has been laid low with an infection after scratching his hand during a Easter dinner at his brother's Danish home.

His elbow began to swell on Friday morning during the trip to Peterborough where he rode through the pain barrier, and likewise at Oxford in the evening meeting, before he was withdrawn by the track doctor after three rides.

He has spent three and a half days in Nuneaton Hospital where the doctor took ten attempts to insert a drip into his arm.

Andersen said: "I started to feel unwell on the way to Peterborough and I could feel the pain moving to my elbow. When I put my kit on for the meeting I had a job to get the elbow protection on because of the swelling.

"It got worse on the way back to ride in the evening meeting at Oxford, but it was too late to do anything by then and I couldn't really concentrate on my riding. I had three rides, but then I had to give in.

"The track doctor gave me some pain killers and I went home.

"The day after the swelling increased and I developed a high temperature and I was in a pretty bad state really.

"I went to see the Coventry doctor in the evening and he sent me straight to hospital where I had to wait nearly five hours before I was treated."

He is now on antibiotics and will take the doctor's advice to rest before returning to action.

He added: "It's no good me riding if I can't give my best, so I will give it as long as it takes to get back doing what I enjoy - winning races for Oxford."