A magnificent salmon weighing over 48lbs, a huge pair of cast metal stags and a fine antique shotgun in its original case are just some of the highlights in Mitchells' next sporting sale.

The auction will be held on Saturday, April 8, starting at 10am in the Cockermouth saleroom.

It boasts a large gun section with the most valuable lot being a Fredrick Beesley 12 bore side by side sidelock shotgun, built in 1906.

It comes with its original leather, oak and brass cornered case and has an estimate of £3,000 to £5,000.

Auctioneer James Moore said: "I think when people think about guns they think of killing things but these guns have so much history. You wonder where they have been over the years.

"Someone spent a lot of money getting the Fredrick Beesley built 110 years ago, when it would have been used for game shooting. It's still a functional firearm."

There is also a Cogswell and Harrison 16 bore side by side Victor back action shotgun with Damascus barrels with case estimated at £1,000 to £1,500.

A WW Greener 16 bore side by side Facile Princeps shotgun with a Lancaster game counter set into the stock is also expected to do well. Other makers of note include Holland and Holland, Westley Richards, Beretta, Graham of Cockermouth and Army and Navy.

"There's a nice Holland and Holland gun which was built about 1880/90 for a colonel going out to India. It would have been used for hunting tigers and leopards in the days of the Raj," said James.

The sale also features a range of Webley airguns.

The magnificent Mallochs of Perth cast salmon, weighing in over 48lbs, is sure to turn heads and is expected to make between £1,800 to £2,000.

The taxidermy section features a Theobald Bros of Mysore India 6 point Samba Stag’s head with an estimate of £400 to £600 and a cased pair of corncrakes by Hope of Penrith along with various other sporting trophies.

Of local interest in the sale is a set of hunt buttons from Mrs M Lawson’s Beagles of Brayton Hall, Aspatria. Four large coat buttons and eight waist coat buttons will be sold in two lots estimated at £80 to £120 each.

Sporting art includes five Wilk hunt cartoons with estimates from £100 to £500 and a huge pair of cast metal stags standing at nearly five feet tall which are expected to sell for £600 to £800.

The fishing section features a large number of Hardy reels including an early Hardy Perfect 4in alloy fly reel valued at £500 to £800 and a Hardy Perfect 3 3/8 trout fly reel with a red agate line guard estimated at £200 to £300.

There is also the usual selection of good quality modern usable tackle, reels and rods and an 8ft fishing boat with trailer.

James is expecting a good turn out for the sale which will feature more than 700 lots.

"The sporting sale is always the busiest one in terms of people on the floor, we have had it where people have been spilling out of both sides of the room," said James.

An illustrated catalogue for the sale can be viewed on the Mitchells website.

Lots can be viewed at Mitchells' saleroom on Friday, April 7, from 3-7pm and from 8.30am on the day of the sale.