HENRY Maxwell is enjoying life in the fast lane - in more ways than one.

The 44-year-old orthopaedic consultant and sports medicine surgeon has teamed up with three other premier consultants to bring internationally-renowned sports injury treatment to the heart of Manchester.

And outside work, the Shuttleworth man and avid motorcyclist swaps the operating table for the racetrack.

Now he is a vital team member at the Manchester Sports Medicine Clinic (MSMC), for diagnosis, treatment and after-care of sports-related injuries and arthritis.

The MSMC surgeons are consultants to professional football and rugby teams, and professional and elite athletes. Their sporting portfolio includes Bolton Wanderers and Manchester City soccer clubs, Bradford and Leigh rugby league teams, plus Great Britain's wrestling, netball, judo and rugby league squads.

Mr Maxwell, a lower limb and trauma surgeon, has been a consultant orthopaedic surgeon at Hope Hospital in Salford since 1995. After a two-year research fellowship at the Centre for Hip Surgery at Wrightington Hospital, he was awarded the degree of Master of Surgery (ChM).

He completed specialist training in trauma and orthopaedic surgery and was awarded the Fellowship of the Royal College of Surgeons in Orthopaedic Surgery in 1995. After his formal training, Mr Maxwell undertook a lower limb fellowship in Boston, USA.

He and his colleagues have joined together to provide both professional and recreational athletes with a centre of excellence. The MSMC is described as a one-stop sports diagnosis service that offers treatment, support and advice that is unique within its field.