Historic road rally travels through the Cheshire countryside

It was a double victory for Dan Willan and Niall Frost, who scored top marks for the second year running in their Volvo PV544 from 1962.

Dan Willan and Niall Frost win the rally for the second year running

The event is organised by a team of regular road rally competitors from Knutsford and District Motor Club.

It is not a race against the clock but a challenging test of ingenuity and perseverance.

Teams set off at 8am

Drivers set off at 8am on Saturday, March 5, and the first cars started arriving home at around 5pm.

It was a lovely sunny day

Each of the 75 cars has a driver and navigator who have to plot the 150-mile route themselves from codes.

The 150-mile route took cars through the Cheshire countryside

With painstaking precision and tenacity, they faced 10 special tests, including a stage at Oulton Park.

Teams have to reach checkpoints at certain times and are penalised if they arrive early or late.

Navigators are kept busy plotting the route

Motorsport photographer Chris Brennan, who captured these pictures for the Guardian, said: “The camaraderie among them all is absolutely phenomenal.

“There is a lovely atmosphere, not just between the drivers and navigators, but all the people marshalling.

Drivers have to navigate along country lanes

“They are all volunteers and do it for the love of the sport. They were all so chirpy and cheerful even at 7am in the morning.

“It is fantastic, everyone is so friendly.

Precise driving is called for to keep on track

“It is nice to see old cars and how people preserve them, using them for what they were originally intended, in a competitive manner.

There is great camaraderie among everyone taking part

“It was lovely, dry sunny day but poor guys in some of the very old cars without heating must have been frozen, particularly the ones in open top vehicles.”