Keith Curle says Carlisle United are happy to allow Steven Rigg to train with the Blues as the Cumbrian tries to kick-start his career after injury.

Rigg, released by United in 2016, has been back with the Blues squad recently as he works on his fitness.

The former Penrith man is seeking a new club after leaving Queen of the South this summer - while he is also on the way back from a serious knee injury.

The 25-year-old has also used Carlisle's gym facilities during his rehabilitation.

United boss Curle said: "Steven's had a bad injury, he's unattached at the minute, and what he needed was some full-time competitive training.

"He came in with the youth team, but he's played games as a professional and needed training at a slightly higher level. He rang me and asked if he could come and train with us and be part of the group.

"I like having Riggy about because he has got that unpredictability and rawness about him. Nothing is too much trouble, he will chase, and the lad can score goals.

"It was an open-ended invitation for him to come up and get himself fit. I think he's played a couple of trial games for a couple of non-league teams, so [coming here] is giving Riggy a helping hand so that, when he's going for trial games to showcase his ability, he knows he's up to speed, up to standard and in a group that is very professional, fit, and has a good application to training."

Rigg, from Keswick, scored six goals for United in a 39-game spell after earning a dream move to the Blues under Graham Kavanagh following stunning goalscoring feats for Penrith.

A loan move to Barrow was curtailed because of injury, and he was restricted to 16 games for new club Queen of the South last season as he suffered his injury in November.

Curle, who gave Rigg his Football League debut in 2014, added: "When he was rehabilitating, he asked if he could come and use Lee [Fearn, fitness coach] and [physio] Neil Dalton's expertise, then could he get himself into the gym and start his recovery path.

"His next progression was training on a regular basis and getting his injury so that it doesn't affect him. The only way to do that is working, training, rehabbing and his next progression is full-time training.

"Until he gets fixed up with a club he can come and train, get up to tempo and do extra fitness work as well.

"He's a young lad I've got a long time for, I like his personality.

"It was the right thing for him to do when he left the club, because he needed to go and play games. Unfortunately he got injured, but with the mentality he's got, and his attitude, he'll get another club."

Curle also said he "wouldn't have a problem" fielding Rigg in a reserve friendly game for United in the coming weeks.