LUDLOW Castle Motor Club members enjoyed the recent tricky Builth Wells rally despite only one of the crew finishing due to car faults.

The event, organised by the Herefordshire Motor Club, consisted of 14 stages covering 35 miles split evenly between tarmac and loose surfaces meaning drivers were tested to their limits.

Last year’s Heart of England Champion co-driver Michele Petrie teamed up with Clive King in his Peugeot 106 Xsi.

The pair grew in confidence, finding themselves second in class after eight stages in slippery conditions.

Unfortunately they were badly baulked by two other cars on one of the stages and despite a clean run to the end, they finish 17th overall and third in class.

They were, however, rewarded with the Mixed Crew award.

The rest of the Ludlow Castle Motor Club members were hit with a variety of car issues.

Top seeded Ludlow member Keaton Williams was hopeful of repeating last year’s win and sat alongside John Perrott in his MKII Ford Escort.

Sadly it wasn’t to be for the pair as they retired from second place after fitting new tyres and clipping a rock.

Steve Davies and Lucy Wilding were looking to continue with their improved results over the past 12 months in their Renault Clio.

They finished 12th at last year’s event but a broken driveshaft sustained on stage seven forced them to retire.

Perry Gardner and Jack Bowen, in the 1400 Vauxhall Nova, retired with steering issues while Dan Petrie and Kenny Roberts’ Escort G3 went out with electrical problems.

New Ludlow member Richard Fletcher enlisted seasoned co-driver Mike Wilding to call the notes in their Peugeot 106 but they were beaten by clutch complications on a tough day of rallying.