Over a hundred hardy supporters of German third division outfit Sportfreunde Lotte answered the club's call and helped clear snow from the pitch so a last 16 cup tie against 1860 Munich could go ahead on Wednesday night.

Lotte, the lowest ranked side left in this season's DFB Pokal, took to Facebook on the morning of the game pleading with fans to give a helping hand.

"We need your support for tonight so the game can be played," the message on the club's Facebook page read. "Bring your snow plough with you and let's work together now to make an effort! Every hand helps."

Photos posted online by fans in the early hours of the morning showed around five centimetres of snow covering the pitch.

Video posted on local broadcaster Norddeutscher Rundfunk's website showed fans with shovels, mechanical snow ploughs and hot air blowers shifting snow from the pitch and the terraces.

By the afternoon, it appeared most of the snow had been cleared away.

According to Die Blaue, the game could still have been called off up to 90 minutes before kick-off at 18:30, leaving hundreds of Munich fans with a wasted journey of hundreds of miles.

Fortunately for those making the trip north from Bavaria, match officials confirmed the game would be going ahead just after 17:00:

Lotte, based in Germany's north-eastern North Rhine-Westphalia state, were founded in 1929 and have spent most of their history in regional leagues.