Damian Cole won two of the first four stages

Hereford's Damian Cole finished the Neath Stages Rally in third place despite his Hyundai World Rally car spinning off the course at high speed.

The race was won by Michael O�Brien and Paul Spooner in a WRC Ford Focus with James Belton and Eurig Evans second in a Subaru Impreza WRC.

�The first time we spun we were up to sixth gear and flying,� Cole told BBC Hereford and Worcester.

�I just closed my eyes and waited for the bangs, but there were none."

He added: "We were able to get ourselves up the bank and back into the action but then we span and finished up facing the wrong way and on the racing line.

"We knew the next competitor was closing in on us at high speed so it was a massive relief when we righted ourselves and got going just in the nick of time and. thankfully, we move on to the Woodpecker all in one piece!�

A good finish in The Woodpecker Stages Rally, which takes place around Ludlow on Saturday week (30 August), could see Cole win the Welsh Rally Championship and move into the lead in the BTRDA Rally Series.