The Cumbria County Championships will once again be held at Carlisle Squash Club this weekend.

Dominant brother-sister duo Paul and Victoria Bell will be looking to retain their respective titles at the competition which starts tomorrow.

There will be more than 40 players involved in the men’s event across three categories, while four women will feature in the female category - with Carlisle hoping to get more women to take up the sport this year.

One of Carlisle’s coaches, Dave Box, said: "The competition will start tomorrow and run through until Sunday, with the finals, obviously, being played on Sunday.

"This year, we’ve managed to muster four Ladies together. Victoria Bell is current women’s county champion and she has been tipped as top-seed, essentially."

But Box expects the men’s tournament to be more competitive, with a host of young players coming through the ranks and keen to take the scalp of Scotland coach, and former Carlisle man, Bell.

He said: "The men’s competition is split into three categories. That is to try to encourage those from around the county to come and play in the event.

"At one point, it got so strong at the top-end that players were deciding not to come up because they knew they were going to get beaten in the first round.

"So, we have 16 in the A event, with Paul Bell being the current county champion.

"But some of the youngsters, like Adam Goad, were in the semi-final against Paul Bell last year. A little inexperience meant that he lost, but he’s played some European and National events now.

"So, to be honest, Adam’s confidence is there now. That will be a very interesting final, should it go to script."

Box added: "Outside of that, we do have some very talented lads from the club and the county, so it’s a very even pack.

"It could be anybody on the weekend in behind those boys.”

In the Cumbria County League Cup, meanwhile, a Wigton team are set to play a Carlisle side in the final in the near future after this week’s semi-finals.