MORE than 60 vintage cars and 130 competitors took part in a motor racing rally in South Lakeland over the weekend.

The Devil's Own Rally, an event that was over-subscribed in just over 24 hours, attracted entries from across the UK.

Each car had a driver and a navigator and entries varied from a 1929 Bentley through to a 1986 Toyota MR2. Among the other vehicles taking part in the event were Minis, Ford Escorts and Volvo Amazons.

The rally, which started in the 1960s and is organised by Kirkby Lonsdale Motor Club (KLMC), is unique in that it is the only round of the Historic Rally Car Register's Clubman's Championship that ventures into darkness.

KLMC committee member Kev Haworth said one of the high points of the event is to actually finish the race.

"To finish the event is a highlight for the majority of the crews," he said. "To be considered a finisher, they have to visit 75 per cent of the check points and be within a 30 minute slot of their allotted time."

The event was won by Guy Woodcock of Llanferres, Denbighshire in Wales, with Northumbria's Ali Procter navigating.

They were driving a Ford Escort RS 2000 MkII which was once used by the Merseyside Police as a patrol car. Mr Woodcock's win sees him become the only driver to win the rally three times in a row.