OVER 120 crews started from the Royal Welsh Showground in Builth Wells last Saturday for the Rallynuts Motorsport Severn Valley Stages. 

With a selection of top-line championships joining the Midland Manor Motor Club organised event, competitors from across the UK and Ireland tackled 45 stage miles of classic Welsh forests surrounding Tirabad and New Radnor.

There were stages at Cefn Llewdlo, Crychan and Gwibedog joining the re-introduced Radnor stage near Kinnerton. The forest tracks were bone dry the dust hanging in the forests was a major problem for competing crews.

Jason Pritchard was hoping to regain the lead in the British Historic Championship on home ground but endured a fraught day in his Ford Escort RS - his rally ending in a ditch in Radnor.

Malcolm Rich hit similar troubles in his Escort RS being sucked into a ditch and rolled on stage one Gwibedog. Dai ’Block’ Jones and Glyn Price finished in their traditional reliable BMW but even so a problem on the last stage plunged them down the order.

After an eighth month lay off Sara Williams wheeled out the Brecon Motors Suburu. Competing against tough opposition Sara and co driver Patrick Walsh pulled out a top performance and finished sixth in the modern category.

After some last stage dramas the Historic section was eventually won by Paul Barrett from Omagh co-driven by Dai Roberts while top seed Jamie Anderson won the modern section driving a Fiesta R5.