HEREFORDSHIRE’S Roger Chilman and codriver Brian Thomas dominated Saturday’s Ludlow Woodpecker Stages to earn their first success in seven years of trying.

The county driver set five fastest times over the 42 competitive miles to win by 12 seconds from championship rival Hugh Hunter’s Ford Focus WRC.

The opening test was a short blast through the slippery Wigmore with Chilman stopping the clocks two seconds quicker than Hunter.

Next up was nine miles in Haye Park with Chilman taking a further five seconds off Hunter to lead by seven at first service.

Over the next two stages in Radnor Forest, Chilman extended his advantage to 12 seconds before crews returned to service at Ludlow Racecourse.

Chilman took his fifth fastest time over the notoriously slippery three miles of Bringewood to increase his lead to 14 seconds with just 8.7 miles of a reversed Haye Park stage remaining.

And about four miles in, the duo encountered their only problem of the day when they lost the intercom.

Even so, Hunter could only take two seconds back to leave Chilman victorious after seven years of trying to win his home event, with Hunter second and Ludlow’s Shaun Gardener third overall.

“I am over the moon to win this event,” said Chilman. “Now I need to win the Cambrian Rally to lift the REIS/Get Connected BTRDA Championship title, but it’s going to be difficult.”