EIGHT times TT winner Ian Hutchinson has broken his leg casting doubt over whether he will be able take part in this year's TT Races. 

The Swan Yamaha rider injured himself yesterday (Wednesday) during rehearsals for the MCN Motorcycle Show which starts today.

A spokesperson for Swan Yamaha said: "Hutchinson was reported as twisting his leg awkwardly whilst riding an off-road bike during practice for the stunt show."

The rider was taken to hospital in Coventry where he was found to have broken the same leg that he broke at Silverstone in 2010.

Since that incident, where another competitor's bike ran over his leg, Hutchinson has had 16 operations to fix his tibia and fibula.

Swan Yamaha team owner Shaun Muir confirmed that Hutchinson had a new fracture away from his previous breaks and said the rider would have an external fixator fitted and "hopes to be released from hospital as soon as possible".

Three times British Superbike champion Niall Mackenzie has confirmed he will stand in for Hutchinson at the MCN Motorcycle Show which takes place at Excel in London.

Picture by Bill Dale