Boris hails the aquatic medallists of Beijing Games

CHEERING wildly, Union-flag-waving crowds packed the streets of London today to give a golden welcome to Britain's Olympic heroes.

Construction workers and shop staff rubbed shoulders with pin-striped City traders and tourists as all stopped to applaud the Team GB parade.

As 12 floats carrying more than 500 athletes from the Olympic and Paralympic teams moved through the City, shops and offices were deserted as people lined the pavements in welcome. Many others cheered from windows and rooftops.

Police said up to 10,000 people were in Trafalgar Square, where the parade ended, and more than 100,000 had been on the streets.

In the Square, Mayor Boris Johnson addressed the medallists and the crowd. He said: "I have heard today there are some people on the telly who have been asking why we are holding this parade now in mid-October when the leaves are falling and the shares are crashing.

"And the answer is there is never a wrong time to celebrate the greatest achievement by a British Olympic and Paralympic team since 1908." He praised the cycling team and the "rowers, swimmers and sailors who have together formed the most amazing British aquatic triumph since Horatio Nelson won at the Battle of Trafalgar itself."

He also paid tribute to the dedication of athletes including Stratford's Christine Ohuruogu, the 400m champion.

Starting at Mansion House, the procession moved past St Pauls and down Fleet Street and Strand before reaching a packed Trafalgar Square. A crowd had turned it into a banner-waving, flag-draped lunchtime party.

Team GB won a record 19 golds in Beijing to finish fourth in the medal table, with a total haul of 47 medals. At the Paralympics, the British team was the most successful in two decades, winning 102 medals, including 42 golds, and finishing second behind the Chinese hosts. The celebratory atmosphere in the City today was a welcome relief to the gloom of recent weeks. Stockbroker George Gower, 47, said: "Business can wait for a while. Not only do I feel proud of the athletes, it's also a great relief to see everyone out on the streets happy and celebrating everything that they achieved. They deserve all the praise they get and they are an inspiration to us."

Fatima Atleef, 23, a student waving a St George's flag said: "These are the kind of moments that we should all enjoy even if you're not that into sport."

Ros Bryar, 55, professor of community nursing at City University, brought 20 students with her.

She said: "My students will eventually be responsible for driving young kids to achieving some of the things these Olympians have. We are all very excited about the Olympics coming to London."

Tom James, who won gold in the rowing coxless fours, summed up the feeling of the athletes when he said: "That was absolutely incredible. There was a constant round of applause for about two hours and I just hope that today's atmosphere will inspire young people for 2012."

Also speaking at the end of the parade, Chris Hoy, who won a record three golds for cycling, said the experience had been "incredible". The 32-year-old from Edinburgh added: "People were hanging out of their office windows just to see us. It's been so busy since June, it's just been one thing after the next and today is just great fun.

"These Games really captured the public's attention. At a time when people are wary about the future and the current economic situation, it was really great to have something positive to happen for the country."

Diver Tom Daley, 14, told how he had been let off school for the day: "It is amazing. I'm missing maths and Spanish but this is really worth it.'' Double Paralympic swimming champion Ellie Simmonds, 13, said: "It was amazing and it is wonderful to be in this parade. It is really exciting."

Despite the crowds, the total attendance was likely to be much lower than the return of the Rugby World Cup winners in 2003, and the Ashes parade in 2005. Officials said the event was being staged today rather than on a weekend because it had to coincide with the invitation from the Queen to a reception at Buckingham Palace, which was taking place afterwards.