CATRINE offroad rally driver George Bryson won his class category in the arduous Welsh Hill event.

He was seventh overall from 50 starters in what he described as the toughest challenge he has faced in the sport.

George recently moved to offroad racing and last season became the Scottish Cross Country champion, prompting him to look at competitions further afield.

The Welsh Hill rally runs in the Walters Arena forest complex in the south of the country and consists of 150-stage miles over three days.

Extreme temperatures and high dust level made the event even tougher than usual and just getting to the end of the three days is a feat in itsself.

Normally, George has his wife Jacqueline navigating in the Howford Hydraulics sponsored BMW V8 engined machine but she unfortunately sustained an injury in a recent fall.

Experienced Northern Irish co-driver Wallace McKay was called in at the last minute and proved to do a great job in guiding George to the class win and attain a superb seventh place finish.

After the gruelling race, George said: “That was easily the toughest event I have ever competed in. And with many cars not reaching the end and incidents like a throttle sticking full open in top gear combined with the car needing lots of repairs as well as tyre changes, all made for a very interesting event.”

Staged over three days last weekend, the event was round one of the British Hill Rally championship with the next stage at Forest Estate in Dumfries and Galloway.