Local motor clubs throughout the UK face a threatfrom new government regulations forbidding the useof agricultural land for motor sport.

Rising rally co-driver Graham Raeburn said: "Lotsof grassroot motoring events throught the UK arethreatened by the latest countryside decree. Someare events which have run regularly since pre-wardays and are part of motor sport heritage. It's thebiggest single threat we have faced as a sport inyears."

Club officials claim that the new regulations werepassed by Whitehall "without any consulation".

Farmers who currently permit motorcyle or car eventsto use otherwise idle land (which has been designatedas 'set aside') will in future be allowed to hold eventssuch as local carnivals, horse events and popconcerts, but motor sport will be specifically banned.

This will affect thousands of events for motorcyles,whose governing body (the Auto Cycle Union) is saidto be "devasted".

For those competing on four wheels, the newregulations will mainly affect more than 1,000autograss events which run outside the remit of theMSA (the UK's main motor sport governing body), butabout 40 per cent of club motor sport eventsauthorised by the MSA will also face restrictions,including sporting trials, production car trials, 4x4events and some rallies.

The new rules from DEFRA came into force by decreelast month, without any obvious consulation with thehundreds of clubs who organise affected local events.