Rally driver out after car theft

The rally car was stolen from outside a pub in Northern Ireland

One of the UK's top rally drivers has been forced to pull out of this year's British championship after his £75,000 car was stolen in Northern Ireland.

Wyn Humphreys' Subaru Impreza was stolen three weeks ago during the Ulster rally.

He was offered a replacement car, but he refused it saying it was "unsuitable".

He and co-driver Rob Fagg were lying in fifth place in the championship when his car was stolen.

Mr Humphreys, 25, who is originally from near Machynlleth, said he was disappointed, but planned to build a new car in readiness for next season.

We looked at the costs and the points available for the rest of the reason and we decided to cut our losses and rebuild for 2009. Wyn Humphreys

"We were kindly offered a replacement car, but after seeing it we decided that it was unsuitable for us and unrealistic," said Mr Humphreys.

"We looked at the costs and the points available for the rest of the season and we decided to cut our losses and rebuild for 2009."

He was offered a car free of charge by fellow competitor Jonathan Williams from Brecon, Powys.

It is Humphreys and Fagg's second year in the British championship. They were leading at the halfway stage in 2007, and ended in fourth place.

They were lying in fifth position this year when their car was taken from outside a pub near Coalisland in County Tyrone last month.

The next round of the championship will be held in Yorkshire in two weeks.