by Keyan Milanian

A professional ice hockey player has been seriously injured after his car was involved in a crash with a lorry.

Invicta Dynamos defenceman Ryan Giles, 19, from Allington, near Maidstone was driving to work at about 8am Wednesday when his car crashed in Tonbridge Road, Pembury.

Ryan was taken to hospital with a broken femur and damage to his knee. He had surgery on Wednesday but head coach Kevin Parrish said the extent of the damage was as yet unknown.

He said: "We know he was driving to work and the next he knew he was being cut out of his car and then he woke up in hospital with his leg up.

"When I spoke to him he was in great spirits but he was high on morphine. Because he cannot or does not want to remember what happened he does not really understand what is going on at the moment."

Mr Parrish said a police investigation into what happened was under way.

Ryan has played 17 times for the Gillingham Ice Bowl-based Dynamos this season.

A statement on the club's website said: "Giles is a big part of the squad and he will be sorely missed on the ice and in the changing room, but for now his recuperation is the most important consideration with his long road to recovery already begun."