Mania home to hero’s welcome

Grand National-winning jockey Ryan Mania returned home to a hero’s welcome last night - just hours after being discharged from hospital.

The 23-year-old rider triumphed at Aintree on Saturday aboard 66-1 shot Auroras Encore, but was airlifted to hospital the following day after falling from Stagecoach Jasper at Hexham.

The jockey was in Newcastle’s Royal Victoria Infirmary for two nights but was released yesterday and travelled to his home town of Galashiels in the Scottish Borders where hundreds of people lined the streets to congratulate him.