Drummer Barker 'to fully recover'

Ex Blink 182 drummer Travis Barker and US club disc jockey DJ AM are expected to fully recover from burns suffered in a plane crash, their doctor has said.

The two, who had earlier performed together, suffered their injuries in a Learjet plane crash in Columbia, South Carolina, which killed four people.

They are both still in a critical but stable condition in hospital in Augusta, Georgia, Dr Fred Mullins said.

The plane went off the runway on take off and crashed on a nearby road.

The pilot, co-pilot and two other passengers all died.

Dr Mullins said both the survivors had suffered second and third-degree burns in the crash, which took place just before midnight local time on Friday.

Barker, 32, was burned on his torso and lower body while DJ AM - real name Adam Goldstein - was burned on his hands and part of his head, the doctor added.

"Anybody who can survive a plane crash is pretty lucky," he added.

He said their injuries could take up to a year to heal.

UK hits

The pair, who perform together under the name TRVSDJ-AM, had earlier been playing at a free concert in Columbia.

Air traffic controllers had reported seeing sparks coming from the plane as it tried to take off.

Officials said it left the end of the runway before coming to rest, engulfed in flames, a quarter of a mile away, on the embankment across a five-lane motorway.

In February 2005, pop punk trio Blink-182 announced they were going on an "indefinite hiatus" with no plans to work together in the future.

The band's record label Geffen said that Barker and bandmates Tom DeLonge and Mark Hoppus aimed to "spend some time enjoying the fruits of their labours with loved ones".

Blink-182 had nine UK hits including All the Small Things in 2000.

Via bbc.co.uk