BARBARA Burke swapped cooking for co-driving on the Pennine Stages - and helped partner Mick Farrer to his best-ever result.

The Rossendale-based duo finished an excellent eighth overall and second in class in their Colin Brennan motors Services-backed Ford Escort RS2000.

Explained Mick: "Barbara is usually chief cook and bottlewasher for the team, but owing to a misunderstanding, she had to step into the co-drivers seat at the last minute.

"Although it was her first experience of motorsport, she proved a natural, and her superb note reading was instrumental in our success."

The pair made a steady start on the two-day, Anglesey-based event, finishing the first leg 17th overall and fifth in class.

The second leg, taking in 11 stages saw a move up the leaderboard for a career-best top ten place.

"We notched up three firsts during the weekend. First time in a rally car for Barbara, first time in the top ten for me, and the first time I've ever had a mention in Motoring News!" joked Mick.

Sponsor Millers Oils also used his RS2000 to debut a new fuel product for competition cars that require leaded petrol.

Based at the Anglesey circuit in North Wales, the Knowldale Car Club-organised event attracted all the leading contenders in this year's ANWCC Rally Championship.

Overall victory went to Dave Willett and John Roberts, also in a Ford Escort.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.