FORD and Rover are the winners of the 1997 British Vehicle Security Awards, sponsored by the British Vehicle Rental and Leasing Association. The two manufacturers beat off fierce opposition from the world's leading motor manufacturers to scoop the awards, which are made annually to motor manufacturers which have made the greatest commitment to defeating vehicle crime in the past year.

Ford's win was cause for a double celebration - not only did it achieve its first ever victory in the nine-year history of the awards, but it also won two of the four categories.

The results were: