Children were left distressed as football thugs became embroiled in a violent bust-up with a steward.

A court was told that punches were thrown from the fans and the Brunton Park official as trouble flared at Carlisle United's match against Hartlepool.

Three of the fans involved have been barred from attending all football games for three years.

Carl Swan, 24, of Sunnymeade, Upperby; Stephen Neaves, 25, of Crindledyke Estate, Kingstown; and Luke Hodgson, 18, of Upperby Road. all Carlisle, have been punished with football banning orders.

A fourth man, Malcolm Turner, 56, of Denton Street, Denton Holme, Carlisle, was fined £261 for his involvement but not given a banning order.

The United fans all pleaded guilty to public order charges at the match, on October 15 last year.

The men were sat in the lower tier of the Pioneer Foods Stand at the game watched by 7,333 people, the Blues' biggest crowd of the season so far.

Magistrates heard that the steward involved had been dismissed.

There was a heavy police presence because of the rivalry between the two teams.

Pam Wood, prosecuting, said after Carlisle scored their second goal, United fans surged towards the area where were segregated. To counter this, stewards moved in to keep the walkways clear.

Swan, Neaves, Hodgson and Turner all became involved in the melee and threw punches at a steward.

Solicitor Rachel Dixon, for Swan, said her client had thrown punches at a steward after being provoked because he had punched his friend.

Chris Toms, for Neaves, said: "The steward involved was instantly dismissed following the incident."

Similarly, Steven Marsh, mitigating for Turner, explained that his client became involved after the steward punched Turner's son.

Mr Marsh said: "[Turner] actually saw one of the stewards getting involved and assaulting one of the spectators.

"The steward was taken from the ground when [Turner's] son made some comment to him. As a result of that, the steward swung out towards my client's son, hitting him in the face causing a cut to his lip."

Mr Marsh said Turner "instinctively" threw a punch back at the steward but didn't hit him. He was at the game with his two sons, who are in their 30s, and his nine-year-old grandson.

Magistrates sitting in Carlisle ordered Turner to pay costs of £85 and a victim surcharge of £30 in addition to his fine.

Mrs Wood said Swan's two punches were more serious because he was on bail at the time after being convicted of causing actual bodily harm in September 2016. He also had a previous conviction for ABH in a football-related incident.

He was sentenced to 150 hours of unpaid work in the next year and ordered him to pay court costs of £170.

Hodgson was also given a community order and must do 18 hours of unpaid work as well as paying court costs of £170.

Neaves was handed a 12-week curfew and must be at his home address between 7pm and 6am ever day.

Detective Constable Claire Cannon-Park said: “The actions of these three men impacted a number of people who were innocently watching a football match. The disorder broke out in close vicinity to a number of families with young children who were visibly distressed by the violence.

“Watching football is a privilege and one that has rightly been taken away from these criminals. I hope that these bans send out a strong message to anyone who might engage in similar behaviour.”