A MAJOR national sporting event could be coming to the area if a bid is successful.

A stage of the Tour of Britain cycle event could take place in the Cotswolds after Cotswold District Council agreed to contribute £10,000 to a bid for the race.

CDC Leader Lynden Stowe believes that being part of the event would be welcomed by residents and would also provide a boost for local businesses.

He said: “The Tour of Britain is this country’s premier cycling event and attracts over a million spectators at the roadside and hundreds of thousands more following via television and online around the world.

“I am sure that local residents would be thrilled to see world-class cyclists up close.

"Additionally, being part of the event could attract a lot of visitors who have not previously sampled the hospitality and attractions of the Cotswolds.

“This is also an ideal opportunity to promote the advantages of cycling as a mode of transport, the Cotswolds has many attractive routes which encourage people to ride bikes and the health benefits are self-evident.”

The plan suggests that the race would finish in Cheltenham but would pass through the Cotswolds, most likely in the north of the region although plans are yet to be finalised.

More detailed plans would be set out if the bid was successful and the race would take place on Saturday September 9 if the plans get given the green light.

The bid is led by Cheltenham Borough Council and Cotswold District Council have agreed to support the bid.

The Tour of Britain is a multi-stage cycling race, conducted on British roads, in which participants race across Great Britain to complete the race in the fastest time.

The tour is the largest free-to-watch live sporting event, attracting over a million spectators to the roadside each September.

The modern Tour of Britain celebrated its tenth anniversary in 2013, having returned to the sport calendar in 2004 after a five year absence.