China's Terracotta Warriors are marching towards Liverpool.

China's Terracotta Warriors are marching towards Liverpool.

Conservators from National Museums Liverpool and the Shaanxi Provincial Cultural Relics Bureau have been checking the condition of a more than 2,000-year-old terracotta cavalry horse prior to making the 5,000-mile journey from China to the UK for an exhibition.

The relic is a representation of extraordinary power and nobility.

Lighter, faster and more efficient than horse-drawn chariots in battle, cavalry horses formed an essential military force for the First Emperor of Qin to take with him into the afterlife.

The cavalry horse, believed to be one of more than 500 from the vast burial ground, will be a highlight of the landmark "China's First Emperor and the Terracotta Warriors" exhibition.