MONACO has Formula One. The Island of Mull has rally cars.

In Monaco, the Grand Prix stars race along the sea front beside the harbour wall.

In Mull, the rally cars speed along Tobermory main street.

And to mark the 30th anniversary of the Philips Tour of Mull, the opening special stage will run through through the centre of the island's main town.

Working in close conjunction with Mull Community Council and Strathclyde Police, the organisers, the 2300 Car Club of Blackburn, has arranged to close off four streets in Tobermory next Friday evening. "We wanted to do something different to celebrate the occasion," explained rally chairman Neil Molyneux, who lives in Blackburn.

"No-one has ever closed off roads in a British town for a special stage, so that in itself was a challenge.

"We talked it over with as many people in Tobermory, and everyone was as enthusiastic as we were."

The Philips Tour of Mull has rightly earned its title of longest and toughest club rally in Britain.

Over two nights and one afternoon, competitors will tackle 170 miles on closed public roads - the only event in the UK which is longer is the Network Q RAC Rally in November.

The maximum 150-car entry list was filled within days of regulations being issued, with further 40 crews having to be turned away.

Heading the entry list is last year's winner Callum Duffy in a Ford Escort.

East Lancashire entries are: John Cressey/Ian Grindrod (Astra); Daniel Harper/Les Reger (Astra); Dave Calvert/Mark Oglesby (Escort); Neil Collinson/Dave Simpson (Sapphire 4x4); Craig Bracewell/Daniel Barritt (Astra); David Bateson/Chris Campbell (Astra); Chris Woodcock/Gary Dawes (Astra); David Barritt/Andrew Barritt (Manta); Lee Sharples/Sheila Thompson (Nova).

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