BURNLEY fans could toast their heroes with a special commemorative ale if the team wins their first major trophy for 50 years.

As Clarets fans dream of a momentous trip to Wembley in March for the Carling Cup Final, town leaders and businesses are planning how they would commemorate a Burnley victory.

Tuesday night’s 2-0 win over Arsenal - which came less than a month after the team’s dramatic quarter-final penalty shoot-out victory over Chelsea - means the Clarets are only 180 minutes away from the final.

David Grant, managing director of Burnley brewery Moorhouse’s, said he hoped the firm would be able to bring out a special Clarets ale to celebrate the team’s cup run.

He said: “If they get to the final we would like to make an ale to help everyone celebrate the victory.”

And Burnley Council leader Gordon Birtwistle said that the town would ‘pull out all the stops’ for Owen Coyle’s side.

He said: “I am sure that we would arrange an open top tour around the town and a civic reception for them at the town hall.

“I am sure the mayor would want to invite them to the town hall and congratulate them officially. We would pull out all the stops.”

However, a Burnley Council spokesman refused to confirm whether plans would be put in place for town centre provisions, such as big screens, if Clarets reach the final.

Kitty Ussher, the town’s MP, also congratulated the team in the wake of Tuesday night’s triumph.

She said: “I cannot see any reason why on this form we can't go on to Wembley, where we might even meet Blackburn.”

Meanwhile, businesses in Burnley are continuing to cash in on the club’s cup run.

Bosses at Nelson-based bakery Oddies say a gingerbread man based on former Clarets star Billy Ingham, who was nicknamed ‘Ginger Pele’, has been selling well since the start of the season.

Linda Longley from the company added: “If Burnley get to the final there’s every chance we might do something special.”

And George Heys, who runs a butcher’s in Lyndhurst Road, Burnley, is selling a special sausage bap to commemorate the team’s win over Arsenal.

The Beast, made up of pork, ginger, apricots, apple and cinnamon, is inspired by Clarets goalkeeper Brian Jensen.