Grants of up to £500 are available to community groups across Daventry District wishing to put on events to celebrate The OVO Energy Women's Tour.

The money can be used by a range of community and voluntary groups – as well as schools and pre-schools - to help organise community events and other activities linked with cycling or other forms of sport and activity.

They are being offered by Daventry District Council as part of its preparations for the event, which will see elite cyclists from the world’s top teams race from Rushden to Daventry on Thursday 14 June.

The stage starts at 10.30am and will snake through Northamptonshire and parts of Buckinghamshire before arriving in our District at Canons Ashby shortly before 1pm.

The race will then visit Weedon Bec, Everdon and Newnham, taking on the Newnham Hill climb for the Skoda Queen of the Mountains competition, before passing through Daventry town centre for the first time at about 1.30pm.

It then heads out on a loop through Staverton, Upper Catesby, Hellidon, Priors Marston, Byfield, Woodford Halse and Preston Capes before summiting Newnham Hill a second time to set up a thrilling finale in Daventry town centre at about 2.30pm.