Scandal-hit cricketer Ben Stokes has shed the bandage around his hand in time for his wedding this weekend.
The England all-rounder is currently under investigation for causing actual bodily harm in a brawl outside a nightclub in Bristol last month.
But he hopes to put the episode behind him when he ties the knot with fiancée Clare Ratcliffe at a country church in Somerset tomorrow.
Married in the morning: Ben Stokes appeared without his bandages as he prepared for his wedding tomorrow
Groom: The wedding comes as Stokes attempts to keep his career on track following a fight in Bristol which saw him arrested
Big Day: Stokes and his fiancee Clare Ratcliffe are due to get married at midday tomorrow
He arrived in the area today ahead of tomorrow’s nuptials wearing ripped jeans, a blue, backwards cap and a green hoodie.
But his right hand was free of the bandages he has been wearing since his arrest, meaning it won’t get in the way of his wedding photos.
Stokes, 26, will tie the knot with Miss Ratcliffe, the mother of his two children, at a ceremony in a village near Weston-Super-Mare tomorrow, followed by a reception at a luxury hotel just a short walk away.
The wedding will give the cricketer a chance to put a rollercoaster few months behind him.
Recovered: After sporting a bandage following the fight, Stokes’ hand appeared healed today
Preparations: Up to 400 guests are expected at the couple’s reception tomorrow night
Investigation: Police are still looking into the nightclub clash and he could still be charged
On September 26, when he and his teammates were out celebrating England’s win against the West Indies, a fight broke out outside a nightclub in Bristol which led to Stokes’ arrest.
He was released by police but is still under investigation and could face charges.
In the wake of the incident, while he was nursing a hand injury believed to have been sustained in the fight, he was told he would not be travelling with England for their Ashes tour of Australia.
Days after the attack, a video emerged of a drunken Stokes doing impressions celebrity Katie Price and her disabled son Harvey.
Following outrage over the offensive video, Stokes apologised, saying he did not intend to mock the youngster, but admitted that his actions were ‘foolish’.
Couple: Miss Ratcliffe has previously told how happy she is to be marrying the cricketer
Private party: The couple are thought to have hired this venue for their private reception
Yesterday Stokes has had his contract with sports firm New Balance terminated.
The company said it ‘does not condone behaviour… that does not match our brand culture and values’ in ending its relationship with Stokes.
Ahead of his wedding this weekend, Stokes released a statement saying he will give his version of the events which led to his arrest in Bristol ‘when the time is right’.
In a statement released yesterday, his agent Neil Fairbrother said: ‘Ben will make public his full explanation and evidence when the time is right. That is not possible while the investigation continues and no charges have been brought. Ben does not wish to prejudice the process.
‘He is also concerned about the impact the widespread publicity has on everyone involved including the ECB, his team-mates and the game of cricket itself, which he loves.’
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