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Well, I guess you could say that the accident that claimed my co-drivers life was entirely my own fault, sure when you train to become a rally driver you know that there are many risks and dangers involved.

Driving a fairly high powered car on narrow roads, some no more than dirt tracks, winding their way through forests with massive drops on either side of the tracks, put a wheel even just slightly wrong and it can send the car down into one of those drops or hurtling through the air at high speed.

You may get lucky and come out of the wreckage with just cuts and bruises but in the vast majority of cases, it leaves you with either serious injuries or at the worst loss of life.

I suppose I can consider myself as fortunate, the only injury that I suffered is a blown right shoulder where a boulder pushed the driver's door against me, Derek Bridge, my co-driver was not so lucky, a tree branch pierced the windscreen and then stabbed him through the neck.

The emergency services say that he would have died instantly, small comfort for his family to know that he would not have suffered too much.

Derek and I had been driving partners for just six months, this was our first rally competition together and we were doing pretty well, right up until the time as we were driving through a stage in Snowdonia National Park where the front left wheel of the car clipped a raised tree root.

From that moment Derek and I were just mere passengers in the chaos that followed. The root launched the car into the air and then down the embankment, the car rolling two or three times as it went, after the accident, I remember crying my eyes out as I see Derek's body impaled on the tree branch, I also remember the eerie silence.

We were probably there alone for no longer than a minute or so before another competitors car came through the stage and found the scene of the crash, they stopped their car and called in the emergency crews, I don't remember being rescued from the wreckage, I guess I must have passed out.

I woke up this morning in a hospital bed, my right arm in a sling, sat in the chair next to my bed was none other than my team principal, Lane Harrison.

"Tony, I know it's a silly question but how do you feel?"

I looked at the Tiger and I wanted to give him a snappy reply, but I could tell that he was just leading up to the bombshell and so I let him deliver his payload.

"Derek is dead bud, the medics say that he didn't stand a chance, I'm so sorry."

I sit here now in the hospital waiting room waiting for Lane to take me home, as I wait Lane's last words replay in my mind over and over again, suddenly Lane stands before me with a bag of pills in his paw.

"Okay Tony you are good to go, I will take you home and I will ask one of the guys to stay with you for a few days."

I stand on legs that are shaky and I fear that they will not support my Rottweiler frame, after a few moments I begin to take my first tentative steps. We slowly make our way out to Lane's car in complete silence, well let's face it, what can either of us say?

I sit in the passenger seat of Lane's car and we have been heading towards my place for maybe half an hour now, suddenly Lane finds his voice.

"The Docs say that your shoulder should be strong enough in a month or two for you to begin competing again, obviously you are going to need some physio but the team medics will sort that out for you, as for your new co-driver I have already lined someone up for you, I will give you a few days to rest and then I will bring him to meet with you."

I feel my stomach begin to churn.

"Lane, you need to pull over."

Lane continues on his way.

"We're close to home Tony."

My stomach begins to lurch.

"Lane for the love of god pull over."

Suddenly seeing the seriousness of the situation Lane pulls over to the side of the road, I open the door and clamber out of the car, I lean over into the gutter and begin to hurl my guts up.

After five minutes I manage to get my convulsions back under control, I get back into the car and then look sternly at Lane.

"Are you kidding me, Lane, you seriously think that I am going to be getting back behind the wheel of a rally car after what has happened, I killed my last fucking co-driver Lane, I don't want another death on my conscience."

Lane puts the car back into gear and then we continue our journey.

"Tony, please don't let this accident get to you, there was nothing that you could have done any differently, rallying is a fast-paced motorsport bud, you cannot foresee and avoid every rock, root or tree, at the end of the day you feel responsible for Derek's death and now you have a confidence problem, but you need to get back in the saddle, you are a good driver."

I let out a slight growl.

"Look, Tony, just rest for a few days and meet up with your new co-driver, maybe you will feel differently when you see him."

My head spins towards Lane so fast that I get a sharp stabbing pain in my injured shoulder.

"Oh, Lane, please tell me that you haven't found me a co-driver and a love interest? You know how I feel about mixing business with pleasure."

Lane just shrugs his shoulders.

"Hey, I'm just looking out for the well being of one of my up and coming drivers, I have invested a lot of time and money in you and I don't want to waste it. The guys are building you a new car even as we speak, at least give it a try when you are strong enough."

We pull up to the front of my house and I climb out of the car, Lane lowers the passenger side window as I close the door, I lean down and poke my head through the open window.

"Okay Lane, you win, but I am warning you now if I don't feel safe once I get back behind the wheel then I will call it quits no matter what you say."

With that said I turn my back on my boss and head up to my front door, as I open the door I can feel the weight of the mail that lies behind it, probably bills and junk mail, I walk deeper into the house and I pass my phone, I can see that I have some answerphone messages waiting for me and so I decide to press play.

"You have three new messages."

"Message one. Hello, Mr Stone my name is Paul Banford, and I am calling you from the Church of the Latter-day Saints."

I delete that message.

"Message two. This is a message for Mr Anthony Stone, my name is Chris and I work for Southern Electric, I just need to let you know that your bill is set to increase in June if you would like to call me when you get a few spare minutes I will go through some other options with you, you can get me on 01952 756225."

"Message three. Hello, Mr Stone, my name is Jake Davis and I am going to be your new co-driver, I have also been asked by Lane Harrison to come and offer you some help and support for a few days, something about you not having full use of your right arm and paw after the accident, well if it is okay with you I can come by on Friday the 18th and we can see where we go from there, if the 18th is no good for you then please let me know, my number is 07785 667908, I look forward to meeting with you."

"End of messages."

I look at my watch to see that today is Thursday 17th, so I guess I am meeting with my new co-driver tomorrow, I better get some rest, god knows that I am gonna need it.