Nation says thanks a million for our golden summer

An estimated one million spectators watched yesterday as around 800 Olympic and Paralympic stars proudly wore their medals and waved from open-top floats.

Yorkshire was particularly well-represented in the procession after the region’s athletes won an impressive haul of seven golds, two silvers and three bronzes in the Olympics, as well as a considerable clutch in the Paralympics.

Sheffield heptathlete and Games poster girl Jessica Ennis was greeted with some of the loudest cheers as she showed off her gold medal.

“We’ve had so much support through the past few weeks, every session was filled with cheering British fans, so now to come out and see another huge crowd and thank everyone is really special for all of us,” she said.

The crowds, dozens deep in places along the route from Mansion House to Buckingham Palace, were a sea of red, white and blue as they waved Union flags and held up home-made banners – including some proclaiming Yorkshire’s unofficial ranking in the medals tables.

Spirits were high and the excitement was palpable as spectators performed Mexican waves and high-fived police officers as they awaited the athletes’ arrival.

Among the proud supporters was Andy Jenkins, who travelled from Wakefield with his girlfriend Tilly to witness the once-in-a-lifetime spectacle.

“The atmosphere along The Strand matched the endeavours of each and every athlete ten times over,” said the 25-year-old.

“What an awesome Games – something that has brought a nation together and will never be forgotten. It’s been worth every penny and has shown the world we can still excel in every respect. Well done Team GB – what a show!”

The parade included more than 90 per cent of Britain’s medal winners, including wheelchair racing champion Hannah Cockcroft, from Halifax, and the Brownlee brothers, from Leeds.

Triathlon gold medallist Alistair Brownlee said the interest generated by the Games had been amazing

“The best thing for us is to see other people inspired, walking down the street and meeting people who say they want to try triathlon or give running a try,” he said.

His brother Jonny, who scooped bronze in the same event, said: “It’s absolutely incredible today. To see this many people out here is pretty incredible.

“We got a bit of a surprise with how many people turned up to our event and how many people turned up today, it’s pretty, pretty impressive.”

The most eager supporters took up their places at the front at least three hours before the athletes were due to go past.

Others leaned out of windows and from balconies to catch a glimpse of some of the Games’ most famous faces – including cyclists Sir Chris Hoy and Victoria Pendleton, swimmer Ellie Simmonds and diver Tom Daley.

Asked about the success of the Games, London 2012 chairman Lord Coe told BBC News: “We wouldn’t doubt that they’d be out 10-deep today – they were out 10-deep after we came back from Beijing and that didn’t even take place in our own backyard.

“I don’t think we’re ever going to see sport in this country in the same way again.”

Mo Farah delighted crowds in The Mall by performing his famous “Mobot” as the procession travelled from Trafalgar Square towards Buckingham Palace.

An area from Admiralty Arch to the Queen Victoria memorial 
was ticket-only, with places reserved for some 14,000 volunteers, soldiers and emergency service staff.

The celebrations continued post-parade with a flypast by the Red Arrows, led by the British Airways plane that brought the 
Olympic flame to the UK

There were also performances from Amy MacDonald and the Pet Shop Boys, while Welsh singer Katharine Jenkins sang the national anthem.

As well as speeches from the athletes themselves, the Prime Minister and the Mayor of London paid tribute to the sportsmen and women and all those who made the Games possible.

Boris Johnson raised a laugh as he joked: “For the first time in living memory you caused Tube train passengers to break into spontaneous conversations about subjects other than their trod-on toes.”

David Cameron thanked the volunteers, police and servicemen and women who “proved again that you are the greatest in the world”.

Hailing the athletes as “heroes”, he told them: “You have given us moments that we will never forget.

“The whole country salutes your brilliance.”

He added: “Thank you for 
what is still to come – you promised to inspire a generation and that is exactly what you are doing.”