MOTORSPORT fans, experienced marshals and race officials were all left stunned by one of the most spectacular crashes in recent memory at Oulton Park.

The smash came on Saturday in the opening race of the British GT4 Championship season.

Ginetta driver Hunter Abbott’s G50 car was clipped when passing an opponent and sent out of control onto the grass.

The car spun into the air and bounced on the roof of its roll-cage before bursting into flames – but somehow Abbott, of Maidenhead, emerged from the smash with only minor burns and without serious injury.

One of the first men on the scene was volunteer marshal Steve Roberts, of Wrexham, who has more than five years’ experience.

He said: “As soon as he (Abbott) went off, we knew it was going to be big.

“After the car flipped over, two marshals went up to it with fire extinguishers, while three others from the marshals post at Cascades also attended.

“When it was safe we ran down the hill to help them, but it was difficult to see with all the smoke.

“The driver’s door was stuck shut and it was hard to see if he was still in there, but – thankfully – he was all right.”

Race clerk Bernard Cottrell later paid tribute to the work of the marshals.

He said: “They acted impeccably.

“These accidents are few and far between, but every year, regardless of how much experience they have, every marshal is tested and trained at their circuit on extraction methods.”

Keith Mulliner, of Shavington, was one of a number of spectators who captured the dramatic scenes on camera.

He said: “When the crash began to unfold I started taking pictures and the scene got worse and worse.

“It was about three seconds after the car finally landed that the fuel caught fire and another 20 seconds after that before we saw Hunter rise up above the barrier.

“If it had happened 20 years ago he would have died.

“That he walked away was a miracle.”

Amazingly, Abbott was fit enough to race in round two on Monday – but he was unable to take part in the action because he could not find a replacement car.

In GT championship racing, drivers race in teams of two, changing places at a pit stop.