Motorsport: Emotional Evans enjoys 'dream win' in Borders

The 50-year-old from Powys rattled off six straight fastest stage times to eventually finish 31.1secs ahead of Ireland's Alastair Fisher in another Mitsubishi and seal victory in the third round of the British Rally Championship .

Evans, who until this weekend had failed to even finish the all-tarmac event which uses some of the fastest roads in the Borders, was delighted with his win.

He said: "Winning any rally is fantastic but to win the Jim Clark has always been one of my dreams.

"And to do it on the event's 40th anniversary makes it even more special."

Defending champ Keith Cronin had to content himself with third place after his Subaru was handicapped by a series of punctures early in the day. Aberdeen 19-year-old Dave Weston Jnr, who had run as high as fifth, finished eighth after his Subaru suffered driveshaft and gearbox problems late in the day. The dangers of rallying though were highlighted when 18-year-old Peter Taylor crashed his Ford Fiesta at high speed into a tree midway through Stage 8, the nine-miler at Edrom.

Though the Carlisle-based youngster escaped uninjured, his co-driver Andy Richardson was trapped inside the badly-damaged car.

After being extricated by rescue crews and medical staff, the experienced Penrith competitor was airlifted directly to Edinburgh Royal Infirmary suffering from suspected spinal injuries.

He is reported to be in a stable condition.

In yesterday's Jim Clark Reivers Rally, the fourth round of the Hankook Scottish Rally Championship, defending champion David Bogie dominated the event, setting fastest times through seven of the eight stages in treacherously wet conditions.

The 22-year-old from Dumfries, driving his 2005 Ford Focus World Rally Car, cruised to a 2min 32.secs victory ahead of Duns-based Euan Thorburn's Subaru.

Another Subaru, that of Castle Douglas driver Jock Armstrong, finished in third place.