Irish rally driver Craig Breen's navigator, Gareth Roberts, was killed following a crash in Northern Sicily during the Targa Florio rally. The 24 year old Welshman dies as their Peugeot 207 went off the road and hit a guard rail about five miles from the start of the eight stage of the event.

Organisers immediately ended the rally, which was in part of the Intercontinental Rally Challenge. 

On Twitter over the weekend Craig Breen said of his friend: "No words to describe this feeling, I have lost half of me. My little lifelong companion has left, and left behind a hole never to be filled.

"Difficult to describe how much he ment to us all, I'm so sorry.He knew me inside out, like no one else. I miss you so much ...."

IRC Manager Jean-Pierre Nicolas said: "It's a very sad accident that reminds us that motorsport is dangerous: accidents can affect both driver and co-driver in rallying.

"As the president of the Automobile Club Palermo, Antonio Marasco, said after the accident, the Targa Florio is an event where many great champions have left us in the past, and sadly this has happened again.

"The death of a 24-year-old young man at the start of a fantastic career is always a tragedy. From the start of this year, together with Craig Breen, Gareth has put in some excellent performances and the crew really got themselves noticed.

"There's no doubt in my mind that these performances would have got even better.

"At this terrible time, I'm thinking very much of Gareth's family, to whom all of us at Eurosport Events pass on our sincere condolences."