Elfyn Evans saw his World Rally Championship return begin in dramatic fashion in Monte Carlo on Thursday night.

The Dolgellau-born driver was just about to set off on the opening stage when Hyundai’s Hayden Paddon crashed.

Only two cars had set a time and organisers eventually decided to scrap the stage making any timings void.

Evans went on to set the sixth fastest time on the second and final stage of the opening night with 15 more stages to come.

The 28-year-old was 21 secs behind Thierry Neuville who was setting the pace in the other Hyundai WRC.

It was the first time Evans had finished a stage as a WRC driver since Wales Rally GB in 2015 having stepped down to WRC2 last year.

Evans, driving a DMACK Ford Fiesta RS WRC car, said: “It was OK. For sure there were places we could have gone harder but I’m pretty happy with that overall.”

New Zealander Paddon crashed near the finish of the opening stage after losing control at a tricky left hander.

The car slid wide and went rear-first up a bank before coming to rest on its side in the middle of the stage making it impossible for other cars to pass.

Paddon and co-driver John Kennard were unhurt though a spectator was taken to hospital having reportedly passed out in the incident.