Image caption The rally was taking place in Glenurquhart Forest

A woman has died and an eight year-old boy was injured after a rally car left a forest track and hit spectators in the Highlands.

Police later named the woman as Joy Robson, 50, from the Isle of Skye.

The boy was taken to hospital but police said his condition was not believed to be life-threatening.

The incident happened on the first stage of the Highland Car Club Snowman Rally in Glenurquhart Forest, at Balnain. The rally was abandoned.

It had been the opening round of the 2013 Scottish Rally Championship.

Media playback is unsupported on your device Media caption Inspector Neil Lumsden, from Northern Constabulary, says collision investigators have begun an inquiry

Officers said one other person had been hurt in the collision but they were not seriously injured and were described as "walking wounded".

The injured eight-year-old was taken to Raigmore Hospital in Inverness.

Neither the driver nor the co-driver of the rally car were injured in the incident.

In a statement, the Highland Car Club said: "Following an incident on special stage 1 of the Snowman Rally in which an adult spectator was fatally injured the event has been abandoned.

"The club extends its sympathies to the families of those involved."

The statement said the club would be co-operating fully with Northern Constabulary's investigation.

The event attracted 110 competing crews and was due to include five stages.