Andy Carroll had been 'dying to get back' to action with West Ham

West Ham United's Andy Carroll (on loan from Liverpool) vies with Queens Park Rangers' Ryan Nelsen (Getty Images)

Andy Carroll admitted he had been “dying to get back” after his surprise return from a hamstring injury in West Ham's win at QPR.

Carroll played the final 18 minutes of the Hammers' 2-1 Barclays Premier League victory at Loftus Road last night, less than a month after it was feared he would be sidelined for six weeks.

That would have ruled him out of England's World Cup qualifying double-header against San Marino and Poland this month and the on-loan Liverpool striker was understandably delighted to be back sooner than expected.

Carroll, who suffered his injury on his debut, told West Ham TV: "I have been dying to get back.

"I was devastated when I got injured, but I've worked hard and I've been in the gym every day.

"I've only been out on the training pitch a handful of times since so it was great to be out there at Loftus Road playing football again.

"All the medical staff here are great and they have worked well with us. I've been over the moon with what I've been doing and obviously that has made for a speedy recovery.

"I had only trained a handful of times so it was touch-and-go, but all the staff have been great with me. I felt fine and obviously they wouldn't have risked me if I had any problems.

"As soon as I stopped feeling the hamstring a week or two ago, I wanted to get back on the pitch, but they wouldn't let me because they told me it wasn't right.

"I've had to keep working on it and I've got it right. I'm absolutely fine."

PA