Derby bakery Birds the Confectioners has experienced strong sales of its new gingerbread footballers.

Designed to celebrate Derby County Football Club’s achievement in the Football League Championship, Mike Holling, retail operations manager, said 500 were sold during the first three days of release.

He added the bakery is producing 3,000 to keep up with customer demand in the run-up to the final against Queen’s Park Rangers at Wembley Stadium on 24 May.

Plans are also in place to redesign the footballers in the build-up to the football World Cup in Brazil this summer.