Ahead of their pre-season Saturday friendly, Carlisle United’s family fun day brought a fittingly friendly atmosphere to Brunton Park.

The annual day of rides, stalls and entertainment attracted a host of fans from across the city - though the chance to meet and mingle with the club’s players and manager Steven Pressley was perhaps the biggest draw of the event.

Plenty of youngsters turned out in full United kit, grabbing their team heroes for photos as they wandered through the crowd meeting fans.

From falcons to fire engines, there was a host to see and do at the Warwick Road ground, which later that day hosted Fleetwood Town for a disappointing 3-1 pre-season friendly defeat at the hands of Joey Barton’s Lancashire side.

One of the new attractions at this year’s family fun day was a stall run by recently-launched Warwick Road cupcake business Daddycakes.

The stall was manned by Daddycakes owner Zol Buncsek, who had brought his daughters Klara, 10, and Ava, nine, to give him a hand.

“We took some of dad’s cupcakes to school for the last day yesterday,” said Klara, who attends Norman Street Primary School with her sister.

“The teachers were fighting over the chocolate orange ones.”

Striker Hallam Hope spent the morning greeting fans alongside his teammates.

He said events like the fun day were important for helping to keep a close relationship between the club and its fans.

“It’s important, especially for a lot of the new players who aren’t as accustomed to the city or the club, to get to know the fans. We do quite a lot of stuff like this. It’s nice for the club to be able to interact with the fans.”

Manger Steven Pressley echoed the sentiment, describing the integration of club and community as a”major factor” in football.

“It’s why football clubs initially started, to represent the local community.

“It’s important we have a good relationship with everybody, of all ages.

“The kids of today are the supporters, hopefully the players of tomorrow.

“We take pride in the support that our fans give us. I think we’re a very responsible football club, and a club that works hard at trying to build relationships in the community.”