The final preparations are being made for a groundbreaking event that is set to uncover what life was like in Carlisle more than 1,000 years ago.

The heavily-anticipated Turma is one of the biggest Roman cavalry re-enactments ever seen in the UK.

There will be three events over two days - each one welcoming up to 1,500 spectators.

Tomorrow afternoon's 2pm performance is on course to be a sell out with only very limited numbers of tickets still available at the tourist information centre.

There are also other performances of the Turma re-enactment tomorrow at 6pm and again on Sunday at 4pm, with tickets still readily available.

Performances will see spear-carrying riders take to Bitts Park, carrying out military manoeuvres across a purpose-built arena.

Colin Glover, leader of Carlisle City Council, is attending Turma tomorrow (SAT).

He said: "It is going to be a really exciting and a great opportunity to understand what life was like in Carlisle in Roman times and the discover more about how the cavalry guarded the northern outpost of the Roman Empire."

Mr Glover added: "This is the first one of the main events taking place in Bitts Park over the summer. Not only do we have Turma, but it isn't long until the city welcomes Bryan Adams and Little Mix for two huge concerts."

Turma ties in with the Hadrian’s Cavalry exhibition, which is currently taking place at 10 museums and heritage attractions along the full 150-mile length of Hadrian’s Wall.

The historic Hadrian's Wall frontier area ran from Ravenglass, through Whitehaven, Workington and Maryport to Bowness-on-Solway and then through Carlisle and Hexham to Newcastle, Wallsend and South Shields.

There were 30 forts on the frontier across the north of England, including 16 along the line of the 73-mile wall itself - from Bowness-on-Solway to Segedunum at Wallsend.

Running until September, Hadrian's Cavalry exhibition will tell the story of the regiments that once guarded the mighty north west frontier of the Roman Empire.

Organisers at Bitts park are planning to split the audience into two teams who will then be asked to cheer on the competing cavalrymen as they try to score points throughout the competition.

The cavalry and part-mounted units were the elite of the auxiliary forces of the Roman army and were the backbone of the frontier garrison.

Organisers of the Turma event say that the importance of the cavalry to the Roman army and its empire is often overlooked.

The exhibition, which will cover the training, equipment, daily life and operations of cavalry troopers and their horses., will also explore the role of the regiments in projecting the Roman imperial image through their impressive armour and other equipment.

Interest in Carlisle's Roman past has surged in recent weeks following the discovery of a bathhouse at the cricket club, on Cavendish Terrace.

Elsewhere, a mini Hadrian's Wall visitor village has also been set up - and features all the forts and visitor attractions from along the wall.

Carlisle's Tullie House museum, just a stone's throw from Bitts Park, is also holding its own cavalry exhibition.

Looking ahead to the Turma event, producer Zoe Bottrell said: "It is a unique and special event to be able to recreate a bit of history while adding a bit of theatre along the way.

"We hope that audiences will enjoy this remarkable show of skill and pageantry."