HUNDREDS of the finest sports cars ever made will be gathering in Cumbria for an international motor show next weekend.

The Elite Sports and Performance Car Club's annual event continues to grow, and has moved to the massive Westmorland Show Ground at Crooklands, near Kendal, with thousands expect to attend on Sunday May 15.

With millions of pounds worth of motors on show, it promises to be a great occasion for anyone, from those with a passing interest in cars to passionate petrolheads.

Live music from acoustic solo performers Megan Doherty and Michael Elliott, entertainment and food and drink stalls, as well as appearances from Game stores and Cumbria's new Vorteka virtual reality experience in the huge marquee, mean that there is plenty going on aside from the main attractions.

Having launched as an almost informal gathering five years ago at the Lakeland Motor Museum, former mechanic, club director and event organiser David Robinson has seen it grow from 30 motors to more than 300 of the UK's most exciting privately-owned cars.

He says: "It started as an event for classic cars, but there's loads of them, so I wanted to do something more with supercars and sports cars. The more upmarket you make it, the more people want to come, and now we've got some of the best cars in existence.

"I'm looking forward to seeing all the cars lined up in the field. I can picture it in my head, and I can't wait. 

"When you hand out the prizes it makes people's day, and seeing their faces makes it all worthwhile for me."

Lamborghinis, Porsches, Ferraris and McLarens all will be in attendance, competing for the judges' and the public's votes, with supercars of yesteryear, such as the E-Type Jaguar and Aston Martin DB5 lined up alongside them. Cumbria's motorsport enthusiasts will also be eager to see a host of the legendary Group B rally cars from the 1980s take their place in the field, while there will also be a talk from former Ford M-Sport engineer Peter Beattie.

The event runs from 11am to 5pm on Sunday May 15 at Westmorland Show Ground, and tickets are available in advance from the Brewery Arts Centre box office in Kendal.