Carlisle United's popular community ticket scheme, which last season introduced more than 1,800 youngsters to the Blues, has received a sponsorship boost.

The club's initiative will be supported for an eighth successive season by The Cumberland building society.

They are again joining the club in the scheme which sees more than 300 match tickets for every home league game given to local community groups and schools.

Last season, United said, it saw 76 organisations and 1,830 youngsters watch the Blues.

The club's sales and marketing director Phil King said: "The scheme helps the club to grow and develop very close links with groups and schools - our fans of the future."

Andrew Gordon, head of sales at The Cumberland, said: “Our support and sponsorship of the club is important to us and it’s a relationship which we’ve forged and developed over a number of years."

The Cumberland are also continuing their sponsorship of United's A Stand.

Mr Gordon added that children who take part in the community ticket scheme get a "unique match day experience", meeting first-team players and mascot Olga, also going pitchside and seeing behind the scenes.

"It really is an excellent, positive and exciting experience for everyone, with the emphasis on getting as much engagement and interaction as possible," he added.

For more information on the community ticket scheme, and how to get your school or organisation involved, email ticket.printing@carlisleunited.co.uk.