PREPARATIONS for this weekend's rally in Grizedale Forest turned into trial by ice as eight inches of snow fell on a course used as a warm up by competitors.

Morecambe duo Phil Burton and Mick Fallows were hoping for a quiet shake-down last weekend in the Kall Kwik Rally, in Pickering, North Yorkshire, before the 29th Malcolm Wilson Rally tomorrow (Saturday).

Mr Burton, who drives the pair's two-wheel drive Escort Mk II, had not competed for two years after a roll in Grizedale Forest but got through the snow to finish third in the class.

"The conditions certainly made me concentrate on getting to the finish with a straight car," he said, adding around half the entries had suffered some damage.

The first of around 150 cars competing in the Malcolm Wilson Rally will speed away from Cockermouth High Street at 8.45am.

The action will then continue to Grizedale, by 10.35am, for a further two stages before returning to the North Lakes Whinlatter Forest complex for the three stages of Hobacarton, at 13.10, Comb and Wythop before the first car returns to Cockermouth at approximately 2.20pm.

Spectator parking in both forests is in the Forest Car Parks and will be well signposted. Police will remove anyone parking on the grass verges or blocking access roads for recovery vehicles.

For more information go to www.malcolmwilson.co.uk.