Ripon dairy farmer Charlie Payne made sure his long trip south was worthwhile when he emerged from last weekend's Bournemouth-based Rallye Sunseeker with a superb top ten result.

Driving the Group A Subaru for the second time in as many weeks after finishing runner-up on the Kall Kwik Rally six days previously, Payne and York co-driver Craig Thorley overcame a strong challenge to clinch seventh place overall after 75 tortuous miles in and around the South Coast resort.

The pair got off to a reasonably steady start on the opening loop of tarmac stages to lie 17th overall at first service, before upping the pace in the first forest tests to move inside the top ten.

Embroiled in a battle with Payne all day was Nunnington driver Martyn Harrison, who was enjoying a return to the sport after a couple of seasons' absence.

Along with co-driver Stewart Merry, Harrison had his Pete Sleights-prepared MG Metro 6R4 as high as third overall after three stages of tarmac, before dropping back down the order when the rally entered the forests.

At second service, Harrison held seventh place by a slender half second over Payne before stretching the gap to ten seconds after another pair of Metro-friendly high-speed runs round the tarmac of St Leonard's.

But forest specialist Payne was poised for his challenge, which came on the second run through the series of gravel stages around Verwood.

He managed to sneak past Harrison on SS13 to lie 16 seconds to the good going into the final leg.

With the final three stages on tarmac, Payne knew it would be a battle to hold on to his position but, despite Harrison storming to fastest time on the final stage along Bournemouth promenade, Payne responded magnificently to hold on to seventh by just eight seconds after one and a quarter hour's competition.

However, reward came the way of both crews with Harrison clinching second in class B13 and Payne managing third in class A8 to add to their silverware haul.

Payne and Harrison are now seventh and eighth respectively after the opening round of the Kumho Tyres National Rally Championship and, with another six rounds to go, the battle looks set to intensify.

Sadly, the championship got off to the worst possible start for three other crews who made the long journey south.

The SGP Hyundai Accent WRC of Scorton's Steve Petch and Romanby co-driver John Richardson only made it as far as SS4.

They were in tenth spot when forced out with a broken driveshaft on the road section to the following stage.

Ingleton's Tony Thompson and newly-acquired co-driver Ian Windress from Northallerton were inside the top 30 when transmission problems forced them out just four stages from home after a solid run in their MSR-prepared Tidybike Mitsubishi Lancer.

Another broken driveshaft compounded an already bad day for the Petch family when Stephen Petch junior was forced out on SS9 while holding second place in class.

It was tough luck on the teenager and his co-driver Michael Wilkinson from Tow Law who had set a stunning time on the previous stage despite a lack of brakes on their SGP-prepared Ford Ka. They were one of 40 retirements - one third of the field - on the gruelling event.

The second round of the championship takes place on April 12 with the Astra Stages, based in North Wales.

l Rallying returns to the Midlands this weekend with a capacity entry set to contest the various classes of the Alternative Sign Centre Robin Hood Stages Rally, based in the Sherwood Forest complex.

More than 150 crews will tackle the 26th running of the event, with a healthy North-East contingent hoping to wrest success from the strong local challenge for the second year running.

Last year, Bedale bus driver Kevin Procter emerged victorious in the modern category and he will try to defend his title with Yafforth rallycrosser Dave Bellerby alongside him. After an abortive outing on the recent Oakington Stages in his Ford Escort Cosworth, Procter will revert to the venerable Procter's Coaches Ford Sierra for Sunday's 41-stage mile event.

Following him away from the Clumber Park Hotel start on Sunday morning will be Redcar's Dave Craven and Eaglescliffe co-driver Ian Jackson in their NSS Lighting Ford Sapphire Cosworth. They also have a good record in Nottinghamshire.

The experienced Peter Croft (Middleton Tyas) co-drives for Yorkshireman Dave Marshall in their Subaru, while other modern class entries include Easingwold's Fred Davison and Wiggington co-driver Graham Harper in a Peugeot 205 and the Thirsk pairing of Tim Pearcey and Mick Johnson in their Ford Escort.

Historic and post-historic classes are again included and form the first round of the MSA British Historic Rally Championship. These classes will start on the Saturday evening, with four stages all running in the dark, before recommencing on Sunday with a further nine tests.

New for this year is a Classic Rally, for cars registered between 1975 and 1980, which will follow the two historic events. This event will be the first round of the inaugural HRCR Classic Stage Rally Challenge 2003.

Other locals in action will include Harrogate's Duncan Pearcey in his Datsun 240Z, Ripon Motor Club president John Parker in a Saab 96 and the Durham pairing of Keith Scarr and Michael Wilkinson in an impressive Mark One Ford Escort.

Spectator information. - Tomorrow: Rother Valley 1 and 2, 6.48pm and 7.10. The stage is Rother Valley Country Park, located two miles south-west of junction 31 of the M1. Entry fee of £2.50 per car.

Sunday: Clipstone North, 9.30am and 2.16pm. The stage is located to the east of Mansfield and the entrance to the forest is off the B6030, sign-posted Sherwood Pines Forest Park.

Thieves Wood, 11.44. The stage is located south of Mansfield and the car parks are off the B6139.

Blidworth, 12.55. The stage is located south of Blidworth village and the car parks are west of the A614.

Top ten modern entries. - 1 K Procter/D Bellerby, Ford Sierra Cosworth; 2 D Craven/I Jackson, Ford Sapphire Cosworth; 3 J Coates/W Thomas, Subaru Impreza; 4 A Blair/J Atherton, Ford Escort WRC; 5 D Jenkin/I Bass, Ford Escort Cosworth; 6 B Charalambous/L Carter, Subaru Impreza; 7 S Cheape/H Cooper, Ford Escort Cosworth; 8 A Millard/M Swallow, Mitsubishi Lancer; 9 P Lockett/G Kenna, Subaru Impreza; 10 C Dykes/D Harper, Ford Escort Mk2.

* Due to a soccer match taking place, North Yorkshire Road Racing Supporters Club is advising all members and guests that the social evening this Tuesday will be held at Elders Bar in Northallerton, rather than the usual premises at Northallerton Town FC.

The evening will consist of a pre-season chat show, with all the club's sponsored riders in attendance, and all recipients are encouraged to attend in order to claim their awards.

The show gets under way at 8.30. More details from Sue Symons on 01904 339647.