RALLYING: Lakes-based rally crews will be in action on their home event this weekend when the Malcolm Wilson Rally takes place on Saturday.

The event, supported by Dovenby's M-Sport boss, starts and finishes in Cockermouth town centre, with scrutineering and signing-on at the M-Sport headquarters and seven crews from the area taking part.

Special stages are planned in Grizedale and Whinlatter Forests and on the Ford BP world rally team M-sports own test stage at Greystoke.

Ambleside's Graham Gaskell and Kendal co-driver Martyn Taylor start at five in their Vauxhall Nova and are hoping for better luck than last December when their clutch blew before they even made the start ramp of the Grisedale Stages Rally.

Meanwhile Ambleside's David Shuttleworth and Simon Megaw starti at 12 in their Mitsubishi Evo 4.

Windermere-based Gary Tomlinson and Carlisle co-driver Jemma Bellingham are not far behind as they start at 23 in their Subaru Impreza with Grasmere's Phillip Lilley and Alex Benn following at 29 in a Metro 6R4.

Kendal's Eddie and Dave Meek will also be contesting the event in their class N3 Ford Puma while Steven Brettle and Mark Newsome from Ulverston will be out in their Peugeot 206.

In the 1400 rally the Kirkby Stephen pairing of Jonathan Sproat and Jonathan Brass will feature in their Vauxhall Corsa and Windermere-based Chris Huddlestone and Simon Goodwin will be out in their Skoda Favorit.

Heading the entry list are Penrith's Paul Bird and co-driver Andy Richardson, who will lead the way in their Subaru Impreza WRC (World Rally Car) on the 45-mile gravel event.

The rally is round two of the British Trial and Rally Drivers Association Series and round one of the Fiesta Sporting Trophy UK. It has attracted 126 competitors, with some late entries expected, and the top 10 drivers are all in WRC-spec machinery.

Spectator information is available from the website: www.malcolmwilson.co.uk