The Brean Rally has been cancelled for the first time in its 22-year history.

The annual event at Brean Leisure Park was scheduled to take place at the end of January.

However, due to work being carried out at the park that would have an impact on the rally, organisers Club Rallysport West and management at the park, came to the difficult decision to skip the stage this year.

The popular race, which attracts hundreds of spectators, sees drivers from across the UK take part in the two-day event.

Last year’s rally saw 79 drivers compete, with Lancashire team Aaron Newby and co-driver Andrew Leech, in their award-winning TEG Motorsport Subaru Impreza, win the race overall for the second year in a row.

A Club Rallysport West spokesman said: “Following extensive meetings between Club Rallysport West and the Brean Leisure Park management, a joint decision has been made not to run the Brean Stages Rally in 2019.

“This decision has been made in order to support and retain the goodwill and friendship of the park management and staff, which we have enjoyed over the past years.

“The rally organisers – together with the management of Brean Leisure Park – hope to return in 2020 on its traditional end of January date.”