Phil Guillou in action at Brands Hatch, a year after crashing at the Kent circuit. (0590437)

PHIL GUILLOU has returned to Brands Hatch for the first time since his horrific crash on the track last year that could have paralysed him.

In May 2007, the 35-year-old Guernsey motorbike racer came off his £35,000 Yahama doing 95mph in the Clearways section of the famous Kent circuit. He could very easily have broken his neck. Luckily the paint sprayer was not seriously injured and was back riding again a few weeks later on his repaired bike.

The recent Thundersport GP2 Championship round was Guillou’s debut in the series and his first appearance at Brands since his accident.  Guillou was naturally apprehensive.

‘It was OK but I was still a bit nervous around Clearways,’ he said. ‘I was losing all my time on that corner and you’ve got to get onto the power to get the bike round, but I wasn’t doing that.’