Jim Clark Rally co-driver tried to help spectators in fatal crash

Three people died in the accident at the Jim Clark Rally in 2014

A rally co-driver tried to give medical aid to spectators at the scene of a fatal crash, an inquiry has heard.

Melanie Holmes, 28, was in a car following the one involved in an accident which claimed three lives at the Jim Clark Rally in 2014.

The emergency nursing assistant described going onto "autopilot" in a bid to assist the injured.

A hearing into the deaths of Elizabeth Allan, Len Stern and Iain Provan is ongoing at Edinburgh Sheriff Court.

It is also examining the circumstances surrounding the death of Joy Robson at the Snowman Rally near Inverness in 2013.

Ms Holmes, from Gloucestershire, told the hearing how she had reached the scene of the crash at the event in the Borders and seen four people on the ground.

She said that when a doctor arrived they continued to work on the people, but he had eventually said: "No more".

'Tried my best'

She told the court: "I tried my best".

Ms Holmes added that it had taken her "a while to clear my head".

She said she was now a self-employed dog walker and had given up going to motor rallies.

The accident happened on the second run of the Jim Clark Memorial Rally on 31 May 2014.

The court heard that between the first and second stage, any cars with problems would have had them fixed before starting again.

Advocate depute, Andrew Brown QC, asked Ms Holmes if Car 7 had had a problem.

Ms Holmes said it had and it had lost its place in the running order.

Her car was No 24 and Mr Brown put it to her that with a faster car and a more experienced driver, No 7 had "squeezed in front of them".

She said that had been the case and said they had followed the car until the incident at the Lee Water humpback bridge.

The inquiry continues.