YOUNG Helensburgh star Fraser Anderson had to settle for second place in the latest rally in the Junior 1000 Ecosse Challenge after a controversial collision on the second stage of the event.

The 16-year-old posted the fastest time in stage one of the Memorial Garden Stages, held at the Royal Marines’ Condor base in Arbroath, five seconds in front of Oli Hunter and Michael Cruickshank.

But on stage two, which should have been exactly the same as stage one, Anderson and his co-driver Martin Forrest discovered that the event marshals had rearranged some bales and barrels after an incident involving another driver.

The course change turned a flat right into a chicane, forcing Anderson to brake suddenly, sending his Citroen C1 into a skid and backwards into the barrels, losing 15 seconds as a result.

READ MORE: Fraser starts new season with Ingliston rally win

Co-driver Forrest made a formal complaint to the marshals after the stage, but his concerns fell on deaf ears – leaving Anderson with a huge deficit to make up, and resulting in a battle with eventual winner Hunter on the remaining stages to get back into contention.

A strong run through stages three and four saw Anderson claw back some of the time, and the two drivers were level going into the last two stages.

But it was Hunter who had the wind in his sails in the final stretch, taking four seconds from Anderson on each of the last two stages for an eight-second margin of victory.

Anderson said afterwards: “I managed to get even going in to the final two stages, but some mechanical issues with the car meant that we could no longer push and had to be content with second.”

READ MORE: Anderson's eventful end to debut rally season

Hunter and Cruickshank finished eight seconds clear of Anderson and Forrest in the final standings, with Cameron Davidson and co-driver Ian McRae in their VW Up taking a first podium finish.

The event’s only non-finishers were Jack Hall and Robin Nicolson, out for only the second time in their new Toyota Yaris, who were forced to pull out after a transmission failure on the penultimate stage.

The novice trophy was won by Northern Ireland driver Letisha Conn.

READ MORE: Latest sporting headlines from around Helensburgh and Lomond

Fraser added: “Well done to Oli on his win and to Cameron on getting his first podium (and to Ian McRae on getting his first ever trophy).

“Huge thanks go to Martin Forrest for stepping in as my co-driver at short notice and to all of my sponsors: Baxter & Gillespie Painting Contractors, AkzoNobel, Artex, HBR Accident Repair and to KB Motorsport for preparing the car.”

The next event in the series is the Granite Rally in Leuchars on Saturday, May 4.