Individuals watching this weekend's Grand National horse race may wish to do so with a glass of champagne from a gift hamper.

Punters can imitate those going along to the event as it has been revealed that around 12,000 bottles of bubbly are expected to be sold at the race, the Liverpool Echo reports.

Steve Cooper will be managing the Aintree racecourse over the three-day meeting and he and his 3,300 staff also believe they will be selling 270,000 pints of beer to 150,000 guests.

Mr Cooper told the newspaper: "It's not a nightmare, it's a challenge."

He disclosed that he and his team began planning for the gathering last July and this year 80 different bars for visitors to celebrate a winner or drown their sorrows have been set up.

Around 40 horses take part in the Grand National each year - covering a course of four-and-a-half miles and navigating 30 fence jumps.