here's another

There is no oil coming out of it, it you look at the last pic , in the middle of the pic it is also starting to lift.

doesn't look good.
id want to drop that leg out and have a good look at it.
it doesn't look like plating just lifting.

Unfortunately I don't have the means to drop out the fork and as I've never done it before I would be sh*t scared of damaging something else.

Knowing my luck at the moment I would!!!

best take it back to the shop then.
but got a feeling they will say its impact damage i.e stone or road debris.
don't know till you try though

Just sent a pic of to OYB. They don't think ducati will do anything with that as it is out of warranty but will get back to me on that one.

Certainly looks like you'll want to get the fork leg replaced. If you don't have the means to do it yourself (or a mate) then best take it to a shop. It's an easy job, should take more than 1 hour if you're replacing the complete fork leg. As already mentioned, the stock Showas pop up on Ebay quite often. Have a browse, but get it sorted.

That’s odd it would take some force to do that damage at that point, so it could be a manufacturing defect but I wouldn’t imagine Ducati letting something as obvious as that through quality control. Has the bike got any other signs of damage have a look at the stops on the bottom yoke and front of the headstock at the bottom to see if they are still there or have been damaged. I wonder if it’s had a chain or something around the wheel and been driven off?

I don't think it can be debris from the road as that part of the fork is protested by the mudguard...I could be wrong:puzzled:

someone said earlier it may have been done by some ham fisted whatsit changing a seal or something.
otherwise what force made them come open ?
but your right about the mudguard protecting that part.
VERY STRANGE