YORK-area drivers are in action in the South of England tempest rally which starts tonight.

Harrogate's Miles Johnson has teamed up with Eliot Retallick in a Peugeot 206 to tackle the Aldershot-based three-day event.

Another Harrogate driver, Dom Mernock (Peugeot) and Escrick's Olly Marshall (Renault Clio) are also in action.

The event, the final round of the Kwik-Fit Pirelli British Rally Championship, also sees York's Simon Taylor navigating Wakefield driver Andrew Apperley's Subaru Impreza.

Leading away the main field will be Mark Higgins in a Ford Focus WRC, closely followed by the two drivers bidding for the title of 2004 Kwik-Fit Pirelli British Rally Champion - David Higgins (Hyundai Accent) and Austin McHale (Ford Focus).

East Yorkshire's double national champion Jonny Milner was not among the provisional entries.

Updated: 10:17 Friday, November 05, 2004