DARWEN’S Andrew Cook is recovering in hospital following an operation after he broke his leg in two places playing for the Towers second team at Barrow on Monday.

Cook was leading the Darwen attack in the Northern League Division Two game at the Ernest Pass when he suffered the horror injury while running in to bowl.

Barrow’s ground is adjacent to the Furness General Hospital and just five minutes before Cook was injured the air ambulance had landed. Air Ambulance paramedics raced to his aid before Barrow player Phil Renney, who is a policeman, drove the stricken Cook the 200 yards to the accident and emergency department in a borrowed ambulance.

Cook underwent surgery yesterday and is hopeful of being released later this week.

Bizarrely at exactly the same time as the drama was unfolding at Barrow, Darwen first teamer Nathan Jackson was also being taken to hospital after dislocating his shoulder in the Division One game between the same sides at Birch Hall.