THOUSANDS of spectators revved-up the atmosphere at one of Britain's highest quality rally events.

Grizedale Forest and Broughton Moor played host to 56 racers as they battled for supremacy on the genuine forest course at the Coppermines Grizedale Stages Rally on Saturday, November 22.

The event saw drivers race around six stages varying from just over two miles to nine miles in what is the 'last bash' of the rally season.

The person who records the lowest overall time on the 40 stage mile course is declared the winner.

Entrants for the event ranged from local enthusiasts in their own cars to former National Rally Champion and eventual race winner Paul Bird, from Penrith.

Vehicles are split into several categories depending on their capability so four wheel drive rally cars, two wheel drive 1400cc cars and historic cars were all able to partake.

Drama, thrills and spills ensued, adding to the excitement as one car spun off and had to be pulled out of a ditch by spectators while another completely lost its front suspension.

The Gazette spoke to Graham Parker, clerk for the course, who was delighted with how the race went.

He said: "We are going in the right direction. We would like more entrants but on the other hand it runs really well with 56, which is several more than last year.

"It was the quality of the entry that was the main thing.

"Anybody who knows about British rallying will have said, 'wow, what a top 20'.

"There was a real quality about it.

"We have the best entrants of any event in the country."

According to Graham, it is the style of the course that makes Coppermines Grizedale Stages so popular.

"The tracks are real drivers' roads," he said.

"At other places they have long straights and 90 degree bends but here at Grizedale it follows the lay of the land.

"They're proper good driving roads.

"They're very smooth and when you've only got 56 cars going through it doesn't cut up much."

Avid competitor and veteran rally car driver Paul Benn, from Cockermouth, finished eighth overall at the Grizedale Stages Rally, one of only 40 forest circuits in the country.

Paul, who first competed at Grizedale in 1999 and finished second in 2002, said: "In my opinion, and I said this as I crossed the finish line, it's one of the best rallies in the country at a national, or any level - and I have done them all. The way that the roads go through the forest is quality - it's a proper driver's rally. It's so technical. You need incredible car control to go quickly through those corners at anywhere between 60 to 100mph. It's like a roller coaster at times. Some people do not like it because they think it's too much - those people who like to point the cars in a straight line and squirt round a corner - but if you're a proper driver and go there for the sport then it's just superb. There's nowhere better."