ROSS Weir returns to the co-driving seat for the first time since the Manx International last September when he sits alongside reigning Welsh Champion Alex Allingham in the Weir Engineering Subaru Impreza (pictured) on this weekend's Somerset Stages.

The Minehead-based event has a high quality 170 car entry for round three of the BTRDA series.

With 45 miles of narrow forestry roads, including two stages on the tarmac of the Porlock Toll road, on offer the duo go into the event with Allingham full of confidence, fresh from a recent third overall on the mid-Wales stages.

Its the start of a busy few weeks for Weir, as he will join up again with Roger Duckworth in his Subaru WRC for Rally Barbados' King of the Hill event.   

A host of other local crews will be heading south to Minehead this weekend, including Cinderford duo Mark Griffiths/ Will Rogers in the Griffiths Engineering Escort RS1800.

Rally returnees debuting a brand new machine are Sacha Kakad/Andrew Price in the Westbase backed Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 9.

Dave Edwards/Adie McNally in the Woodman Inn backed Escort RS, Mike Truman/Lee Truman in the M.E Damsell Subaru Impreza and Spencer Price/Chris Hands in the M-Sport Land Rover will all compete too.