December 10, 2003 11:20

OZZY 'STABLE AND COMFORTABLE' AFTER BIKE CRASH

But the star could remain in intensive care for a few days...

Photo Gallery: Ozzy Osbourne

Ozzy Osbourne is in a 'stable and comfortable' condition following his bike crash, though could remain in intensive care for several days.

The singer is currently unable to speak because of a tube in his mouth, though circulation in his left arm has been restored after a blood vessel was damaged by pressure from his broken collarbone.

Dick Jack, Ozzy Osbourne's doctor, said: "We have begun, slowly begun, the process of getting him off the ventilator. Now this can take several days so there won't be any major changes in his condition for the next 24 hours."

He added that doctors were "very satisfied" with the singer's progress.

Ozzy Osbourne's wife Sharon has flown over from Los Angeles to be by his bedside. Daughter Kelly has also visited the injured rocker.

As previously reported on NME.COM, Ozzy Osbourne broke eight ribs, his collarbone and cracked a vertebra in his neck when he crashed his quad-bike on his Buckinghamshire estate on Monday (December 8). He was taken to the nearby Wrexham Park Hospital where he had emergency surgery to correct the collarbone and fix damaged blood vessels.

Bookmakers have also slashed the odds of Ozzy Osbourne reaching the Christmas Number One spot following the star’s accident.

An outpouring of public sympathy for the crooked rock God has led William Hill to cut their odds from 50-1 to 16-1. They say they have been inundated with a "sudden flood of money" from punters backing ‘Changes’, the Black Sabbath track Ozzy Osbourne has re-recorded with Kelly.

However, the 12 Pop Idol finalists are still 1-3 favourites with their version of John Lennon’s ’Happy Xmas (War Is Over)’. The Darkness remain a 3/1 bet.