Rallying mums from Highworth pleased to survive the rain and snow (From Wilts and Gloucestershire Standard)

Rallying mums from Highworth pleased to survive the rain and snow

TWO rallying mums from Highworth were greeted with rain, snow blizzards and sun when they arrived on the east coast of Britain for an event last weekend.

Weather conditions for the Kall Kwik Rally, based around North Yorkshire and which had enticed a field of 93 competitors, proved so difficult that teams were dropping out left, right and centre.

But maintaining their confidence, Shelly Taunt and co-driver Julie Murphy, who were determined to finish the rally, started to climb up the field.

In what was Julie's first-ever stage rally, this was also her first experience with the route notes.

It was crucial for her to be absolutely right with every call she made, or she and Shelly could well have ended up in a ditch!

The Yorkshire Forest are some of the fastest gravel stages in Britain where cars can reach speeds of over 130mph.

At the finish, Shelly was relieved and pleased to say, "If you hadn't known Julie prior to this event, you would have thought she had been co-driving for years: it just seemed to come so naturally to her.

"All her calls were correct and at the right time, even on the road sections where most novices can get it wrong.

"Julie just sailed through with any problems at all. But best of all, she's managed to overcome her sickness which she suffered so badly with on the last event."

The Silverstone Rallyschool, Guest and Fiore Bricklayers Ltd, Creative Block Paving, Advanced Sign Factory, Rapid Hire, Mintex, Silkolene, PIAA and Simpsons of Highworth supported Subaru Impreza was still being worked on just minutes before the pair were due to start the rally.

The hard working and dedicated mechanics were up until 5.30am Sunday morning making sure the final preparations on the car were checked and double checked.

This was the first time that the car had ever been into the forest and all were pleasantly surprised with the way it had handled.

Team mechanic Murphy explained, "We had a lot to contend with, the weather conditions were awful, but it all came together on the day. "Everyone worked hard and, as a result, we finished a creditable 49th overall."

The pair's next outing will be the Northumberside Rally, also set in North Yorkshire, where the girls will be looking to set some faster times and, hopefully, with a clean run.