Mark Higgins has failed in his bid to take a fourth British Rally Championship.

He crashed out at high speed on the last stage of the event - his car rolling several times and catching fire.

Fortunately both Higgins and co-driver Brian Thomas were perfectly ok.

They had been trailing closest rival Keith Cronin throughout the event after the Irish driver set a blistering pace from the start to take a 13 second lead over Higgins after the first of the nine stages.

The Manxman needed to finish ahead of Cronin at the Trackrod International Rally in Yorkshire to take the title.

Cronin’s victory is the first for an Irish driver since 1974.

Higgins finished second in the driver standings for the British Rally Championship - 10 points behind Cronin.