ENTRIES are now open for one of the district’s most exhilarating events.

The Kielder Forest Rally takes place on Saturday, April 25, and is expected to attract competitors from far and wide.

There will be a new format this year, with all six stages totalling 45 miles and a minimal road mileage packed into just six hours.

As well as attracting a lot of interest among enthusiasts, the rally is a significant one for competitors.

Qualifying points are at stake for the Fuchs Lubricants British historic Championship, the English Rally Championship, the S.G Petch/ANECCC Championship, the recently announced Crew25 Series, and the Motoscope Northern Historic Championship.

A spokesman for the event said he was expecting demand for places at Kielder to be high.

He added that preparations for the event were well under way, despite recent challenges caused by adverse weather.

The first car will depart from Kielder Castle at 10am on April 25, and will head for the stages which feature such well known and classic names such as Black Fell, Broomylinn and Falstone where the rally organisers have selected the best roads available, carefully avoiding those used recently for logging and forestry operations.

Starting in front of the imposing Kielder Castle, the rally will break new ground by venturing to the north of Kielder Water to use parts of the giant Kielder Forest complex which the event has not used for a number of years.

Event sponsors will donate a selection of quality prizes for the fastest cars in each class. More details on additional special awards will be announced soon.

For further information, visit www.kielderforestrally.co.uk or email edgraham01@btinternet.com