HEREFORDSHIRE Motor Club were able to celebrate having two top national rally champions at their annual dinner-dance and presentation evening at the Talbot Hotel, Leomin-ster.

Andrew Burton won the BTRDA Gold Star title - for four-wheel drive cars - in his Peugeot-Cos-worth and Jon Ballinger was the Silver Star champion - two-wheel drive - for the second successive year in his Opel Manta.

And club chairman Len Evans said in his address that he believed it to be the first time that two drivers from the same club had taken the titles.

They were two of four members to receive Merit Awards in recognition of their outstanding achie-vements in the 2003 season.

The other two were Rob Morgan, co-driver to Burton in their third gold title success, and Barrie 'Whizzo' Williams for his outstanding contribution to motor sport over 47 years.

Racing driver Williams, who has contested over 800 races and 200 rallies, also received the award for furthering the name of Herefordshire MC in the sport.

Also to the forefront in the BTRDA events in the past year were Alistair Moffatt, first overall in the Peugeot Sports Bonus Scheme, and Ian Evans, who won the Richie Holfeld Maximum Attack Award.

Burton and Ballinger were joined by Nathan Crewe in finishing first overall in the Team Challenge.

Len Evans led the congratulations and reported on a busy year in which the 50-years plus anniversary event had been a great success.

Members had contested events at all levels during the past year and also been prominent in supporting other clubs and competitions with marshalls and officials.

He was joined in presenting the awards by club president Rob Andrews and Sue Mee, who has organised the event for 21 years.

The evening was attended by 115 guests, who were entertained by a comedian and a disco at the Talbot Hotel - the meeting place for the formation of the club in 1950.

AWARDS

Best club member: 1 Colin Ellis (club secretary), 2 Len Evans (chairman), 3 Gerald Watkins.

Best lady member: 1 Angela Ellis, 2 Dawn Williams.

Best new club members - male: Matthew Powell; female: Shelley Rogerson.

Overall best driver on club-organised events, plus best performance on all club PCAs: Keith Thomas.

Best marshall: Martin Williams.

Best performance on off-road events: Mike Thirlwall.

Best performance on Welsh Rallies, Forest Stages: Ian Evans and co-driver Shelley Rogerson; Road: Adrian Griffiths and co-driver Dean Davies.

Hard Luck Trophy: Theo Bengry.

Best driver of Ford: Phil Collins.

Best driver of Austin Rover: Brian Davies.

Best driver of Vauxhall/Opel: Jon Ballinger.

Best driver of Peugeot (Talbot): Alastair Moffatt.

Co-driver achievements: Andy Salisbury.

Best junior: Daniel Bufton.

Merit Awards: Andrew Burton, Rob Morgan, Jon Ballinger, Barrie Williams.

Furthering the name of HMC in motor sport: Barrie Williams.

Go-kart driver of year: Chris Powell.

Navigational Scatter Series, driver: Rachel Hirst; navigator: Adrian Griffiths.