Rally co-driver killed in crash 13 years after brother died in racing accident

A WELSH rally ace taking part in the Jim Clark Rally in Scotland has died in a crash - 13 years after his brother died in a racing accident.

- ABBIE WIGHTWICK

Dai Roberts, a 39-year-old co-driver from Carmarthen, was pronounced dead at the scene near Duns in the Scottish Borders on Saturday morning.

Driver James Williams, 27, who is from Newcastle Emlyn, was taken to hospital with serious injuries.

The Jim Clark Rally is an annual closed-road motorsport race in the Scottish Borders. The event is named after Formula One champion Jim Clark.

It is a double tragedy for the family after Dai Roberts' younger brother Gareth died aged 24 in a racing accident in Palermo, Italy, in 2012.

At the time Dai was beginning his career as a co-driver.

He encouraged his followers to donate to his brother's memorial fund which helps injured drivers.

Dai narrowly avoided death in 2014 when he was airlifted to hospital following a crash at a race in Northern Ireland that killed driver Timothy Cathcart.

He made a full recovery and returned to the sport.

In 2014 the Jim Clark Rally was halted after the deaths of three people and was cancelled the following year. It has since been reinstated in the UK racing calendar.