Specatators treated to top racing

Spectators at a memorial rally at RAF Marham were not treated to a visit by TV's The Stig this weekend.

Organisers had hoped he would be at the base for the two-day Richard Burns memorial rally which started yesterday. But, due to a mix-up, the Stig could not attend.

A flypast from the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight did take place, and another is scheduled for today.

Run in conjunction with the King's Lynn and District Motor Club, the fourth rally has the Mini World Rally Championshop team competing against more than 125 entrants from across the country.

International stars Dani Sordo and Kris Meeke are among those pushing the limits ahead of the WRC Rally Germany next weekend.

At the end of the first day, it was overseas contender and World Rally Championship entrant, Corsican Pierre Campana who led the field by eight seconds. He was driving a privately-backed Mini John Cooper WRC – out for the first time in this country – which will be taking part in the WRC round in Germany next weekend.

The line-up also includes previous rally winner Ray Brammer who has shipped his Subaru Impreza back to Terrington St Clement fron Ireland after taking the overseas award in Ireland last weekend.

The rally was the brainchild of Sgt Chris Daykin, from RAF Marham, and was set up in 2008 as a memorial to Richard Burns who died in 2005 from a brain tumour - a year to the day after he became the first Englishman to win the World Rally Championship.

Sgt Daykin met Richard in 2000 when the rally driver visited the base and completed a sortie in a Tornado GR4 jet alongside Sqn Ldr Tim Rust.

The driver also gave members of the aircrew and other RAF Marham staff, including Sgt Daykin, rides in a Subaru Impreza World Rally Car and Sgt Daykin was inspired to take up rallying.

This year's event will see an area dedicated to a Remembering Richard exhibition, featuring previously unseen film footage of his life and times, displays of his competition cars and associated memorabilia from his motorsport career.

Alongside the exhibition will be an array of military and motors sports displays, precision driving demonstrations, rides and activities within the spectator area along with flypasts from aircraft of the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight.

The rally, sponsored by Hylton Gott, of Crimplesham, finishes today at RAF Marham and entry is �10 for adults with Under 16s free.