Mark James, the rally driver from Carmarthenshire who suffered serious injuries in a crash during last month’s PokerStars event, has died.

He and co-driver Hefin Jenkins crashed their two-litre Mk2 Ford Escort on stage eight, near to Andreas parish church.

It was the first run of three through the Dog Mills stage on the Saturday morning in what were wet conditions after heavy overnight rain.

The pair went off the road on the square-left turn at the top-end of Baare-ny-harry (Road of the Ayre), ending up among some trees on the exit.

James was removed from the car by event emergency teams and Isle of Man Fire and Rescue Service. He was initially treated at Noble’s Hospital before being flown to Aintree Hospital, Liverpool with serious head injuries.

At the request of his family, no further condition updates were announced until news broke on Monday afternoon that he had sadly passed away.

A post on the Ammanford Motor Club Facebook page by secretary Ian Taylor read as follows: ’It is with a heavy heart and great sadness that we inform you of the passing of club member and friend Mark ’Jamesy’ James who unfortunately succumbed to the injuries he received in an accident on the recent PokerStars rally in the Isle of Man.

’A larger than life character who would help anyone at the drop of a hat knowing it would never be a dull event with him around!

’It is always a shock to lose someone from the rallying community, but even more so one of our own members who I’ve known personally for many years even before our rallying days.

’I’m sure you will join us in offering our sincere condolences to Mark’s family, many friends and co-driver at this difficult time.

’It’s a stark reminder of how cruel this sport that we love can be at times, but I’m sure the close community that we are, we will be strong for each other to show support in this time of grief.’

Mark James is the third competitor to die in a local stage rally event in 40 years.

Richard Colley died when the Ford Escort Mk1 he and Mark Rideout were driving got out of sequence on the Switchback yumps in the 1970 Manx Trophy Rally. The car rolled, but although spectators and marshals managed to extract the driver from the car they were unable to rescue the co-driver before the petrol tank exploded and the twin-cam Escort was engulfed by flames.

In September 1989 driver Torrance Crockett died after colliding with a wall on the Ronague stage during the Tudor Webasto Manx International Rally. He and fellow Belfast man Stephen McAuley were in a Vauxhall Astra GTE.