CARLISLE returned to Brunton Park yesterday to assess the damage left by Storm Desmond over the weekend, with midfielder Luke Joyce saying the players felt they had no choice but to help those who have been affected.

Pictures emerged on Sunday of the stadium completely under water and, with the team playing away in the FA Cup, beating Welling 5-0, yesterday was the first time they had seen the fallout first-hand.

The players confirmed on the way back from Welling that they would help out the local community after yesterday’s training session and Joyce feels it was the least they could do.

Speaking to BBC Lancashire Sport, he said:“We have to. It’s the people who turn up every Saturday and Tuesday night to support us. When we are having a bad time they try and support us.

“They get behind us so it is only fair they (the club) do the same. There are people you know who have been affected, people who do the car park, our fitness coach’s wife had to be evacuated on Saturday night. She had to leave, their house is going to be a mess.

“There a lot of people in Carlisle who can’t get into their house at the minute and I have no idea where they are staying and what they are doing but if we can help in any little way then we are more than happy to.”

Carlisle are away again this weekend, to Oxford United, but are scheduled to welcome Notts County next week to Brunton Park.

But unless the damage can be repaired over the next week — the pitch is still flooded and fittings — equipment and archives are all ruined, Joyce is unsure where Carlisle’s next few home games will be played.

“Our next home game is Notts County and I have no idea whether that will be at Brunton Park or if it is played somewhere else,” he said.

“Maybe we could switch it to play at County but I have no idea what the next step is.”