RALLYMAN Ross Miller has been burning the midnight oil in a bid just to make the start of the Mull Rally.

Miller, from Whalley, is a front-runner in this year’s SD34 Stage Championship and needs the points in Scotland to secure his first title.

But he suffered a disastrous outing on the Promenade Stages, going out three corners from the end.

“I was gutted. We had a three minute cushion on our championship rival Keith Dowthwaite with two stages to go,” explained Ross.

“I then went into the final test with a red mist and pushed like hell – until I threw it off within sight of the finish!

“Not a great finish, and I could have won the championship. It was a hard lesson learned but I won’t ever do that again.”

However, Miller’s previously immaculate Peugeot 206GTi sustained heavy damage over the high kerbs at New Brighton seafront.

“The car had a lot of damage on the driver’s front end, with a new subframe and steering rack needed,” he explained.

“The impact also destroyed a front wheel and bent a suspension strut, so that needed replacing too.”

Miller and co-driver Brian Otridge are seeded at car 88.