Setback puts Best back on ventilator

GEORGE BEST had to be put back on a ventilator after a disturbed night but remains “alert”, his doctor said yesterday.

The 59-year-old Manchester United legend has been in the intensive care unit at the Cromwell Hospital in west London after he suffered a severe setback and a lung infection.

On Tuesday he partly regained consciousness and was able to move his head and eyes.

But Professor Roger Williams, who has been overseeing treatment, said the night had not passed well.

“He didn’t have a very good night, he had a disturbed night and had to be put back on the ventilator,” he said.

“But he is still very alert, very sedated on the ventilator, so I don’t think there is a very big change.”

Professor Williams said Best would be on the ventilator for the rest of the day.

“He remains very ill, there is a bit more of a problem with bleeding than we had before,” he said.

“We did have it some weeks ago, it seems to be coming back to some degree again - the loss of blood - which is a worry.

“Otherwise he remains critically ill but fairly stable.”

Professor Williams said the former Northern Ireland star was responding when spoken to, but was not fully conscious because he is under sedation.

The doctor added that the longer Best remained in the same condition without a substantial improvement, the more worrying it was.

“We had hoped we would have seen a more marked improvement over these last few days back to where he was some week or 10 days ago,” he said.