CUMBRIA'S best sporting talent will be recognised once more at the county's annual sports awards in November.

Individuals, teams and clubs from across the area will do battle for honours across a range of categories.

The top prize of sports personality of the year is sure to be hotly-contested, with a number of South Cumbrians likely to be in the mix to succeed Carlisle badminton star Lauren Smith.

Among them will be Barrow boxer Liam Conroy, who won the English light-heavyweight title with a shock victory over champion Joel McIntyre in London to cap a fine run of victories in the ring.

Brad Singleton, who took the honour in 2015, is in contention once more having helped Leeds Rhinos to Super League Grand Final success, with fellow RL player Morgan Knowles starring at Saints and being shortlisted for the Super League young player-of-the-year award and being picked in the Wales World Cup squad.

In cricket, Liam Livingstone made his England Twenty20 debut and enjoyed another great County Championship campaign with Lancashire – hitting a career-best 224, and taking 6 for 52 with the ball in their final match against Surrey.

Footballer Georgia Stanway continues to impress for club and country – scoring on a regular basis for Manchester City in the Women's Super League, and moving up to under-19s level to great success with England.

Golfer Natasha Slater was both county champion and English County Champion of Champions after a fine year on the course.

Jockey Charlotte Jones came from nowhere to claim a series of big wins at Cartmel Races, and ironman triathlete Chris Stirling won major events in Scotland and Canada.

In the junior category, Ulverston's Manchester City goalkeeper Curtis Anderson was the number-one choice for England at the Under-17s World Cup, while Barrow's Liverpool youngster Aimee Everett is now part of the equivalent girls side heading for qualification for the European Championships.

Team-wise, Barrow Raiders won promotion to the Championship, as well as the League One Cup, while Shane Toal was their top-scorer, bagging a brace in the play-offs final as they defeated Whitehaven.

Furness CC took the South Cumbria Twenty20 crown, Millom were North Lancs Division One champions and Sowerby Cup winners, and Black Combe Runners' women's team were crowned England fell running champions.

Dalton RL under-16s won the North West League and Cumbria Cup, St Bernard's reach the semi-finals of the national schools rugby league competition, and there are sure to be many others.

The awards will be presented on Friday, November 24, at The Low Wood Bay Hotel, Windermere. England Under-20s World Cup-winning manager Paul Simpson will be the guest speaker.

Nominations are open now for all categories, which include: sports personality, team, performance, service, community club or group, young volunteer/leader, junior team, rising star, coach and disability performance.

The deadline for nominations is Friday, October 20, and nominations can be made online at www.activecumbria.org/cumbriasportsawards