Driver, navigator killed in rally

Rome - Organisers say an Italian driver and navigator have been killed in an explosive crash at an annual rally in the Tuscan city of Lucca.

The 47th Lucca City Cup rally was cancelled early on Sunday after driver Valerio Catelani and navigator Daniela Bertoneri were killed in their Peugeot 207 S2000.

In a statement, the rally organisers said the two were a few kilomettres into the "Brancoli" leg, at shortly after 04:00 local time, when their car slammed into a protective barrier and burst into flames.

In June, a Welsh navigator, Gareth Roberts, was killed during the Targa Florio rally around northern Siciliy when his car went off the road and a guard rail pierced the passenger side.

Lucca is about 75km west of Florence.