Teen rugby players hurt in horrific car attack
ATEENAGE rugby player was left with a fractured skull after being mowed down by a car and hit over the head with a golf club in a terrifying attack, his club has said.
Matthew Hayden, 17, needed emergency surgery for a bleed on the brain following the assault in Smithy Bridge.
His friend and fellow rugby player Josh Jones, 18, was also beaten with a crowbar, suffering injuries to his hands and face.
Police have not confirmed the exact details of the incident, but a spokesman for Littleborough RUFC said the attack came as the pals, who play for the club’s Colts U18s side, were driving around Rochdale in the early hours of Saturday.
As they travelled along Kiln Lane and Wildhouse Lane, in Milnrow, four men in a Nissan Micra followed them and seemed to be trying to ram their car.
Moments later at a roundabout on Smithy Bridge Road, near Hollingworth Lake, the Micra smashed into the back of the rugby players’ vehicle.
As Matthew got out of the car to remonstrate with the gang, the Micra drove into him, flipping him over the bonnet, the spokesman said. One of the four men in the car then got out and hit him over the head with a golf club, believed to be a nine iron.
At the same time two other members of the gang smashed the driver’s side window and repeatedly hit Josh with a crowbar, injuring his hands and face.
After hearing the noise, neighbours and nurses from a nearby care home ran outside and shouted at the gang, forcing them to flee.
A third friend, Zac Madden, who was a passenger in the car, managed to escape unharmed.
At this stage police have not released descriptions of the offenders or given any details of the motivation behind the attack.
Matthew is now recovering following surgery in Salford Royal Hospital.
But he’s been forced to cancel a scholarship at a university in America this summer and it is feared he may never play rugby again.
Aaron Jones, from Littleborough RUFC, said: “It has shocked everyone at the club. Matthew and Josh are down-to-earth lads, they’re not trouble makers.
“They’ve been playing for first team and really made a big impression on people at the club.
“Everyone is relieved they are alright. Matthew knows he is lucky to be alive and we just want those who did this to be caught.”
A GMP spokeswoman said: “Shortly after 2am on Saturday, June 2, police were called to reports of a collision on Smithy Bridge Road, in Littleborough.
“Two cars were involved in a collision before one of the passengers was assaulted, before the offender broke a car window and fled.
“The man was left with serious injuries and enquiries into the full circumstances around this incident are ongoing.”
Anyone with information is asked to contact police on 101 quoting incident number 274 of 02/06/18.