RISING rally stars Debbie Waterworth and Mike Cawthra found backing "on the doorstep" after a fruitless search for someone to sponsor them.

Parkside Garage, the Bolton Skoda dealers stepped in to answer a prayer for the pair who are currently lying third in the Skoda Trophy series in their pepped up Skoda Felicia.

They are also second overall in the 1996 Skoda Trophy Dealer Cup competition.

Mike, of Guildford, and co-driver Debbie of Great Lever, say they are over the moon that Parkside Garage has shown enough faith in them to sponsor them. "We had approached more than 150 companies to no avail," said Debbie.

The pair's next rally is this weekend in the Tour of Cornwall event which starts in Truro.

Parkside Garage will be having a special promotion for the Skoda Felicia from Monday May 13 to Saturday May 18 and Debbie and Mike - with their rally car - will be meeting the public next to the Market Place in Bolton town centre on May 18.

In the meantime, Debbie will be co-driving for BBC Pebble Mill producer Carl Dolan in a Group A Vauxhall Nova GSi in the Manx Rally in the Isle of Man on Saturday, May 11.

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