Antique shop owner in rally again

Patsy Quick crashed out of the race in 2005

An antique shop owner is taking part in the Dakar Rally for the fourth year running, despite failing to finish the gruelling race on previous attempts.

Patsy Quick, 39, from Heathfield, East Sussex, completed nearly 150km (93 miles) in the first two days and was "going well", according to organisers.

Last year, she crashed in the desert in Mauritania, rupturing her spleen, and was then caught in a sandstorm.

"It was really scary, but you have to put those fears behind you," she said.

"It's a tough ride mentally and if you didn't, you wouldn't make it to the starting line."

Sapped power

Ms Quick, one of the UK's top female motorcyclists, and her service driver, Clive Town, were rescued in 2005 by armed Mauritanian soldiers, who took them to an army camp.

In the 2003 race she cut her knee to the bone in another horrific crash, and was washed out of the race in 2004 by heavy rain which sapped the power in the engine.

This year's race started in Lisbon on Saturday and is due to finish 16 days later in Dakar, the capital of Senegal.

Ms Quick is supported in her Team Desert Rose by husband Clive Dredge, who works as one of her mechanics.

He also runs the village antique shop with his wife, who said neighbours in Heathfield think she is "barking mad".