Ridersmotorcycles.com Ducati's Michael Rutter prevented Josh Brookes from completing a free practice hat trick at Snetterton this morning; as he left it until the final minute to top the timesheets ahead of this afternoon's Swan Combi Roll for Pole and opening race of the weekend.

Brookes had set a time of 1m:10.879s before it began drizzling with rain which meant that his time put him fastest for the majority of the session, but as the conditions improved the riders were able to up the pace in the closing stages with the Australian dropping to fifth.

Tommy Bridewell crashed at the Bombhole ten minutes into the final practice and the Quay Garage Honda team then had a tough task of getting him back out on track but it was in vain and he only completed two laps and now the team are working hard ahead of qualifying.

Ryuichi Kiyonari was third fastest on the second HM Plant Honda with Adam Jenkinson fourth before the session was red flagged when Mirror.co.uk BSB - Evo rider James Edmeades crashed at the Esses, but he was able to walk away from the high-speed crash. Kiyo dropped to eighth in the closing stages with Jenkinson remaining tenth for Buildbase Kawasaki.

The session was halted briefly with three minutes remaining to check for oil at the Revett Straight following a machine blow up, but when the session resumed it was a frantic final few minutes as the riders prepared for the Swan Combi Roll for Pole this afternoon.

In the final minutes there was a shake up as Gary Mason moved second with Chris Walker in third and the Swan Honda team returned to the top ten as Stuart Easton went sixth fastest ahead of Tommy Hill who dropped from second after the final red flag.

MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship, Snetterton, free practice three result:

Michael Rutter (Ridersmotorcycles.com Ducati) 1m:07.991s
Gary Mason (MSS Colchester Kawasaki) +0.075s
Chris Walker (Sorrymate.com SMT Honda) +2.186s
John Laverty (Buildbase Kawasaki) +2.230s
Josh Brookes (HM Plant Honda) +2.88s
Stuart Easton (Swan Honda) +2.889s
Tommy Hill (Worx Crescent Suzuki) +3.497s
Ryuichi Kiyonari (HM Plant Honda) +3.946s
Hudson Kennaugh (Splitlath Motorsport Aprilia) +4.027s
Adam Jenkinson (Buildbase Kawasaki) +4.077s

The Swan Combi Roll for Pole qualifying session gets underway at 12:20, with the opening race for the MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship getting underway at 15:15.