WHILE the Clarets soak up the sun in Evian, the faithful back home were given something to whet their appetite.

The Championship trophy, back at Turf Moor for the first time in 56 years, was given an airing in the James Hargreaves Stand on Saturday.

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And more than 400 loyal fans, from toddlers to pensioners, turned out to have their pictures taken with ‘The Lady’, as the glittering prize is known.

The silverware proved so popular with Burnley FC devotees that the organisers had to book time slots to secure their treasured snaps.

One couple, James and Kirsty Phoenix, brought along their four-year-old daughter Bella-Rose to see whether the trophy would help her to develop an affection for her parents’ heroes.

James from Briercliffe, said: “We did book a time but we didn’t mind waiting. We just wanted to bring the little one down so she can get interested in what’s going on.”

Veronica Simpson, of the Burnley Former Players Association, who greeted fans as they arrived, said: “People have been queueing for up for 20 minutes but they’ve all found that it’s worth it.”

Military policeman Peter Briggs, who is masterminding the Clarets memorial garden project, said: “There were some fans who came up from Nottingham, even I’ve come up from Colchester.”

One of the busiest men on the day was Steve Elder, a G4S security guard, whose job it was to keep a careful eye on the 127-year-old icon, and take countless pictures for expectant families.