Residents of Carlisle were treated to a spectacle never before seen in the city.

Yesterday a selection of replica royal jewellery went on show, including the Imperial State Crown – used after a monarch’s coronation.

The stunning jewels were on display in the Peter Jackson the Jeweller store, in The Lanes shopping centre.

Among the visitors to see them were pupils of Austin Friars school in Carlisle.

Managing director of the jewellers, Peter Jackson, said the youngsters were fascinated by the display.

“It is certainly more fun than a maths lesson,” he joked.

“They had a great time; they had the chance to put on the crown and try on the tiara.”

Also on display were replicas of the crown worn by Queen Mary, King George IV’s Diadem (the crown on the postage stamp), Queen Victoria’s crown and the tiara worn by Princess Diana.

The various items of jewellery will stop off at each of the four Peter Jackson the Jeweller stores across the country this week.

The jewels have been loaned from a private collection – which is often used for Hollywood films – for the duration of the week.

Peter said: “It has been really exciting for us.

“The Crown Jewels are held in the Tower of London and they are only allowed to be removed if they are being used for a state occasion.

“There are only a couple of replica sets in the world, one in Sydney, Australia, and another used by Hollywood film sets.”

Peter says the project provides a unique opportunity to all those who experience it.

“We are really excited and we wanted to give as many people as possible the chance to see them,” he continued.

“They are truly sensational. It is as close as people can get to the Crown Jewels.

“The Queen has the most valuable set of jewellery in the world. There is no better collection of crown jewels anywhere in the world than the one in the Tower of London.

“As far as I know they have never been to Carlisle or Cumbria before.

“I think it is amazing, they are people who have been in store who have seen the Crown Jewels before who say they are so surprised how close they are to the original.

“For people who haven’t seen them before, they are very impressed.”