The buzz is building in Newcastle as the city prepares for a sporting highlight of the year.
The three-day Northumberland Plate Festival gets under way at Newcastle Racecourse on Thursday and the highight for most is of course is Plate Day which wraps up the big event at Gosforth Park on Saturday.
That's the day - later than normal this year - that sees crowds turn out in their finery for an afternoon of racing action, wining and dining. Like Ladies Day, which will follow later in the month, it's a hugely popular event which attracts its regulars but also newcomers each year from across the region and also far beyond.
