BROADWELL’S Jack Walby became only the fifth Forest co-driver to win the Wyedean Stages rally in its 41-year history.

Walby and driver Josh Moffett are also the youngest-ever duo to take the title.

The Winner Garage Skoda Wyedean Stages attracted a top-quality field of 118 crews as the event returned after an absence of two years.

Walby was paired for the first time with the Irishman in the Calico Interiors/Combi-Lift Fiesta WRC.

The pair got off to a difficult start, dropping 10 seconds with a spin in the first two miles.

The regained four seconds in Edge End as drivers struggled with slippery conditions – top seeds Damian Cole and co-driver Paul Morris of Ross pulled out with Cole deciding his DMack tyres weren’t to his liking after two spins in the Fiesta WRC.

Moffett and Walby took 17 seconds off early leader Callum Black who span and hit a bank in the final test of the loop and at the service the Irishman led by 11 seconds.

The second loop of the three stages saw Moffett post the fastest times on all three tests taking a crushing 35 seconds in 20 miles to take victory by

46 seconds from Black with the Evo 5 of Shaun Gardner and Ben Innes taking third place.

Walby said: “I’m so very pleased to win the Wyedean, an event I’ve watched since I was a small boy.

“Josh is a fantastic driver, a real talent, it was a pleasure to sit with him.

Cinderford duo Mark Griffiths and Matt Rogers in the Griffiths Engineering had an excellent run to ninth and first in class. They also picked up the prestigious Rex Paddock award for best prepared car.

Event sponsors and Wyedean veterans Bob Morgan and Adie Williams in the Winner Garage finished 15th overall and second in class with Bob’s son Jason just 32 seconds behind to finish 17th and second in class.

Scott Patridge and Mike Jode in the White Horse Inn, Mitcheldean Subaru Impreza, took their best result of the year with 25th overall fourth in class

Father and daughter Gary and Tiffany Bollands had a good run to 34th and fifth in class in the GB Motorservices Ross Subaru Impreza

Husband and wife team Nigel and Karen Jenkins took the NJ Autos 1400 Nova to 36th and third in class.

Debutant Scott Bennett with Matthew Nicholas in the Vantage Point-backed Subaru Impreza had an excellent run to 45th and eighth in class.

Clerk of the course Martyn Walby said: "We are very pleased with how things have gone, its been a massive undertaking from everyone and I can’t thank them enough.”