Players at English League Two club Carlisle have been involved in a vast clean-up operation at houses badly affected by severe floods brought by Storm Desmond, which has caused widespread damage in North West England and Scotland.
Much of Carlisle, a city located just 10 miles from the Scottish border, was affected by rainfall on Friday and Saturday that exceeded an average month's worth in the area.
Carlisle's ground, Brunton Park, is submerged and water inside the stadium has risen way above the advertising hoardings and almost up to the crossbar of the goals. The team will play their next home match, on Dec. 19, 88 miles away in Preston and may not run out on their own pitch until the end of January at the earliest.
However, right now the players are knocking on front doors to offer their help in the clean up operation to local residents and have handed out food and supplies after training.
The first team players helping out with the clean up in Carlisle today #cufc #community #staystrong pic.twitter.com/Y7JKAaG0E4
- Amy Nixon (@amy__1) December 8, 2015
"The players are keen to get out there," Carlisle manager Keith Curle told The Associated Press. "We'll be setting time aside to get around and do whatever it takes to help make things easier for people who have suffered through this horrid situation."
Five or six players have lost their cars in the floods, while the house of Carlisle's fitness coach has been flooded and his wife had to be evacuated late on Saturday.
"It's people's livelihoods at stake, things they've probably saved up for months and months to buy," midfielder Luke Joyce said. "At the end of the day, we are just normal fellas, normal human beings -- if you see people in need, you want to help.
"A few of the lads went to the ground and said it is just an absolute mess. The smell, the state of the place, it's unbelievable. Not just the water but what it leaves behind. There's all kinds of stuff in there.
"The images of the stadium on TV are almost fascinating to look at. It's happened at Carlisle before, but it's something you very rarely see -- a football ground under water like that."
VINE: 50% of the playing surface has drained, we're getting there #cufc https://t.co/XFBeFoRspK
- Carlisle United FC (@officialcufc) December 9, 2015
Joyce said some teammates are yet to return from London, where Carlisle played in the FA Cup on Sunday, because trains are cancelled, and added he could be back to help out Carlisle's affected residents next week, too.
"They back us week in, week out, from the stands. So it's only right we help them in their moment of need, especially when it's three weeks before Christmas," he said.
"It's seeing Christmas trees up in front rooms and then seeing water everywhere when you walk in through puddles. You are looking at furniture that is wrecked, stuff that people have had for most of their lives. It's just devastating."
Information from the Associated Press was used in this report.