Hysteria at Heathrow

"I climbed onto a stranger's shoulders to get a view and the crowd was so ecstatic that I thought I was going to have a heart attack. The atmosphere was electric. This is the reception they deserve. I love every single one of them - not just Jonny. It was a team effort."

The overwhelming scenes were summed up by one fan who was in the small group who waved the England team off six weeks ago. Paul Riekstine, 35, from Twickenham, said: "I was one of 20 people who came out here and now I'm one of thousands welcoming them home.

"I've had to leave my car in the middle of a roundabout because the road's were all blocked and I don't know if it will be there when I get back. But who cares. This is such a great moment. I can't see anything but it's worth being here just to sample the atmosphere."

Nine-year-old Tom Lambert, from Battersea, got up at 2.30 and was rewarded with a place at the front of the crowd.

He said: "I stuck my hand out and I cannot believe Lawrence Dallaglio shook it. I did the same with Phil Vickery as he patted me on the head. I am shaking all over. I won't be able to go back to school after this."

Peter Marshall, 37, from Bristol, a father of nine, arrived with three of his boys - Matt, 13, Chris, 16 and Ryan 12 - and a van piled with mattresses and pillows to spend the night in.

Mr Marshall said: "I was born in 1966. I've had nothing memorable except defeat in Euro '96. I wanted the boys here because this is a momentous occasion for British sport and I wanted them to remember it."

Matthew Patterson, 23, said the crowds were about six deep when they got there. "But its worth it. If they cannot see us at least they will hear us.

"I've waited all my life for this. Considering the time of the morning the crowd is pretty awesome."

As they waited the return of the conquering heroes the fans filled in the time as best they could. Some threw rugby balls, others busied themselves with the task of finding whatever tables, chairs and even trolleys they could find to afford themselves a better view.

Then there were the banners, from simple declarations of support to the wordy: "Never in the history of English rugby has so much been owed by so many to so few."

One young woman bore a placard with the words "Marry me Jonny" - a common enough sentiment but as her's seemed to bear some corporate logo perhaps she had better join the back of the queue.

Meanwhile, 30,000 ft up on board flight BA 16 - renamed Sweet Chariot - the England team were still making their way through the sort of quantities of champagne and beer that only a thirsty - and successful - rugby team can deal with.

It had been a long time up in the air. They set off from Australia 24 hours earlier with pilot Stew Edwards announcing over the public address system: "We are privileged to be taking home the cup and our glorious rugby team. We have the trophy safely on board. All we have to do is take it out of Australia."

Their fellow passengers could not believe their luck "I cannot tell you how I am feeling right now," said Jakki Meads, 42, a London bank manager. "I've seen my idols, I've seen the cup. Will they ever believe me back home?"

Back down on the ground the crowd was belting out a chorus of "Oh, Jonny, Jonny, Jonny, Jonny, Jonny, Jonny Wilkinson."

BAA had even laid on an operatic tenor, Laurence Robinson, to sing them in. Mr Robinson is a veteran of such sporting occasions, but even he was overawed by it all today. "This is probably the best gig I've ever sung at," he said. It was just after 5am when he started going through is paces - Swing Low, Sweet Chariot, naturally, including the verses the fans did not know, and a clutch of other crowdpleasers including I Vow To Thee My Country and Jerusalem. But it was not long before he was drowned out by the cheers of the fans as one by one the team emerged from customs.

First out was Woodward, along with England skipper Johnson bearing the cup aloft - how did they get that through Customs? The crowd cheered and cheered until one thought they would shout themselves hoarse. But the team kept on coming out and the crowd kept on cheering themselves ragged.

Finally, bringing up the rear, came the man himself, Wilkinson, surrounded by a posse of security so tight it looked like the England pack.

Johnson described the team's reception as "overwhelming". "The guys couldn't believe it," he told Sky News. "You're on a 24-hour flight and you get off and there's thousands of people waiting for you in the freezing cold... It's great."

Woodward said he had "never seen anything like it". "Thanks to all the fans," he said. "It was brilliant."

He added: "Over there we were just gobsmacked at the English supporters at the stadium. But when we came through the airport - that was something very, very special."

Amid the chaos, Wilkinson added: "Above all I am desperate to maintain the lifestyle I had prior to the World Cup. I am keen to maintain my enjoyment of life. I have learned from the World Cup, which was a very intense arena, how important it is to enjoy what you are doing. "I'm after a bit of peace and quiet now and I'm keen to get back home. I haven't seen all of my family for a long, long time. I want to get back now to enjoy it all and be with my family and to be somewhere where I feel totally comfortable."

England's team coach finally moved off through the crowd at around 5.30am with columns of police officers clearing the way ahead on foot. But hundreds of fans ran alongside the bus as it moved away from the terminal leaving traffic chaos in its wake. Woodward sat in the front of the coach holding the trophy. Valerie Kent, retired, from Hastings, said: "They hopped on their coach and they looked embarrassed almost as though they were not expecting all this."

What a morning: what a welcome. Was it all worth it?

Nine-year-old Nick Padfield, from Brentford, thought so. "I've taken the day off school to be here," said Nick, perching precariously on a bin for a better view. "My parents said I could. I just really wanted to be there when they came home. I just wanted to be part of it. I cannot tell them how much I love them."