It's the world's oldest sporting trophy still to be contested - and is on its way home.

Excitement is building ahead of one of Carlisle's biggest sporting dates of the year.

The Carlisle Bells will be contested as part of the historic Bell and Plate meeting at the city's Racecourse tomorrow.

A crowd of 5,000 is expected to turn out for a massive day of racing, that's also a big pay day for the area's economy.

The bells - first presented in 1599 to the winner of Cumbria's most celebrated flat race, the Carlisle Bell Handicap - are being brought 267 miles back home from Newmarket.

On loan from their usual home at Tullie House Museum and Art Gallery in Carlisle , they are currently kept at Newmarket’s National Heritage Centre for Horseracing and Sporting Art, where they play a starring role in the Under Starters Orders Gallery.

But they are back for a date that wouldn't be the same without them.

Carlisle Racecourse general manager Geraldine McKay said: “It’s amazing a prize given out in the days of Queen Elizabeth I has survived 458 years.

"They have been around for 16 monarchs, 76 Prime Ministers, and more than 400 runnings of this most treasured race here in Cumbria.

“We are very excited Bell and Plate Day is here again – it’s our Derby Day – the day that stops Carlisle as thousands take the day off work and head here for a great days racing.”

Bringing The Bells north from Newmarket is a painstaking task, handled by Alan Grundy, assistant curator at the heritage centre.

He said: "Being very small and delicate they travel in a special protective case which definitely won’t leave my side as I drive there."

According to history, The Bells were donated by Lady Dacre, of Naworth.

The larger of the two is engraved around the circumference: The sweftes horse thes bell to tak for mi lade Daker sake (The swiftest horse this bell to take for my lady Dacre’s sake).

Before her marriage, Lady Dacre was called Jane Carlisle and lived in a house on Abbey Street, Carlisle which is now the site of Tullie House.

The smaller second bell is inscribed on the top with the words 1599 HBMC. The initials are believed to commemorate Henry Baines, the then Mayor of Carlisle .

Chris Garibaldi, director of the National Heritage Centre, added: “The Bells are extremely significant. Not only are they are the oldest British racing trophies on display but they are the oldest trophies from a sporting event still contested today."

Gates tomorrow open at midday. First race is at 2pm, last race 5pm.