Tour of Britain: Schoolchildren prepare for event

There are just four days until a major cycling event comes to the North East and Cumbria - and excitement is building.

The Tour of Britain is the UK's biggest professional cycling race. It covers a total distance of 897 miles in eight stages, three of them in the region.

Tuesday will see the riders travelling from Cockermouth to Kelso, along the Cumbrian coast and into Carlisle.

Wednesday takes them from Edinburgh to Blyth, via Wooler, Alnwick and Warkworth in Northumberland.

Thursday has the race's highest summit when the riders slog it out from Prudhoe, along Hadrian's Wall and into the Lake District all the way to the top of Hartside Fell.

At Mickley First School near Prudhoe, head teacher Andy Hudson and the children have been busy decorating ready for the riders to come through.