England's parade of glory

AT least 750,000 people jammed central London yesterday for a parade saluting England’s World Cup rugby champions.

In the biggest celebration in British sporting history, flag-waving fans lined the streets, packed Trafalgar Square and sang the team anthem "Swing Low, Sweet Chariot" on a bitterly cold, but sunny day.

Parade organisers had predicted a turnout of half a million people, but the figure exceeded that.

London police put the turnout at 750,000; other estimates had the figure at 1 million.

England beat Australia 20-17 in the World Cup final on November 22 in Sydney to win the title for the first time - the country’s greatest team sports triumph since winning soccer’s World Cup in 1966.

Many fans slept in Trafalgar Square overnight or arrived in the early morning hours.

"It’s been incredible, it’s been awesome, absolutely mind-blowing," captain Martin Johnson told the crowd.