Stage Three of the Wexford Rally has been cancelled after a tree fell in seventy mile an hour gusts and blocked the route.

Conditions have deteriorated since the start of today's action, with torrential rain hammering the entire area from 11am on.

Local favourite Eamonn Boland suffered a major spin in his Escort World Rally Car in the opening stage, but managed to stay on the road to lie a provisional third.

Cork's Donal O'Donovan clocked the Wexford Rally's fastest time on stage one to take the lead in his Sierra, clocking eight minutes and twenty seconds to put him ten seconds ahead Welshman Bob Fowden in his Escort.

The top six so far:

 1	 2 Donal O'Donovan		Sierra		8:20
 2	 5 Bob Fowden 			Escort		8:32
 3	 1 Eamonn Boland		Escort WRC	8:40
 4	 4 Pete Doughty			Escort WRC	8:41
 5	 3 John Price			Metro 6R4	8:45
 5	14 Melvyn Evans			Escort Cos	8:45