Rally men in hospital after crash

Australia's Chris Atkinson, pictured earlier on Friday, was treated in hospital after a crash in stage seven

Three competitors are being treated in hospital after crashes during treacherous conditions in the Wales Rally GB.

Co-driver Caglar Suren was airlifted with multiple fractures when his Ford Fiesta was in collision with a Land Rover between stages in Ceredigion.

Driver Koray Muratoglu, a fellow Turk, suffered a broken ankle.

Australian driver Chris Atkinson was treated for a head injury in a separate crash during stage seven on Friday.

A spokesman for Wales Rally GB added that there were no reported injuries among the six people in the Land Rover Discovery, following the crash with Muratoglu's Ford at 1210 GMT on Friday.

The crash happened just off the A44 road on the opening day of the rally. Police said they were investigating the circumstances.

A marshal being stretchered into an air ambulance

It occurred near the stages of Sweet Lamb, near Llangurig, Powys, and Myherin, near Devil's Bridge.

Wales Rally GB officials said Muratoglu and Suren were both conscious when they were taken to separare hospitals.

Suren was said to be in a stable condition and under observation in hospital in Shrewsbury, while Muratoglu was being kept in overnight in Bronglais hospital in Aberystwyth.

In a separate incident, a race marshal was airlifted to Morriston Hospital, Swansea, after being hit on the head by a stone.

But officials said he was not badly hurt and was expected to be released soon.

Chris Atkinson was also taken to hospital for observation after suffering a knock to the head when he crashed his Subaru 180 metres into stage seven.

Organisers had cancelled the first and fourth stages in the Hafren forest in Powys because of ice on the roads.

A safety delegate drove the section on Friday and decided it was unsafe, while the ice did not thaw in time to allow the fourth stage to start at 1316 GMT.

Friday's race leader Jari-Matt Latvala, had to cope with a heavily misted windscreen, and admitted hail, sleet, ice and torrential rain were among the toughest conditions he had ever encountered.

"I had a problem with the windscreen because the blower broke, but luckily we have another element in the window," he said.

"It was raining so heavily that the wipers could not go fast enough. Unbelievable conditions."

Daniel Sordo and Marc Marti of Spain overtake a crashed Peugeot during the first stage of the rally on Friday