SHELLY TAUNT'S SOL Rally Barbados bid ended in disappointment after the Highworth driver's Subaru Impreza could not continue following a high speed crash.

Taunt and her co-driver Julie Murphy had lined up with 90 other competitors in the prestigious event on the Caribbean island of Barbados.

But Taunt struck a bank causing damage to the rear of her car and was forced to retire after her dedicated mechanics Gordon Guest and Luke Perry were unable to repair the car within the allotted time limit.

It was frustrating for the girls – the only all-female crew in the rally – who had set some blistering times when they competed the LIME King of the Hill which took place the weekend before the main event.

On the second morning of the rally, during a tarmac stage, Taunt collided with a bank side on and damaged the rear suspension.

Shelly said: “We were obviously absolutely gutted. In 20 years I have been rallying it’s the first time we have had to retire from an event through 'driver error'.

"We had a fairly bad run the night before and had to catch up, so were pushing very hard. We had gained 20 places so we weren’t hanging around.”

Murphy added: “This was an amazing event and one that we will hopefully be returning to next year.”

When the car arrives this week at Portsmouth Docks it will be taken straight on to Goodwood's Festival of Speed where the girls have once again been invited to appear by Lord March.

Shelly, who won last year's ‘driver of the day’ award said: “It’s an absolute honour to be invited to take part once again."

She will be giving passenger rides around the Forest Gravel Rally Stage which is organised by the Southern Car Club and The International Rally Driver’s Club.