Tens of thousands of fans are expected to pack the streets of London on Tuesday to cheer the England cricket team after their stunning Ashes win.
Captain Michael Vaughan and his team will celebrate in an open-topped bus before a ceremony in Trafalgar Square.The team will end the day at Lord's where they will ceremonially hand over the Ashes urn for safe-keeping.
England beat Australia in a series for the first time since 1987 after drawing Monday's final Test at The Oval.Reflecting on the momentous victory and the reaction of the public, Vaughan told BBC Sport: "It's amazing to see the front pages and hear people's responses.
"The most pleasing aspect is that we have made a lot of people very happy. Emotions really ebbed and flowed throughout the summer but we were a young side that seemed to show no fear."Ashes parade: Route map
Millions have been gripped by Ashes fever as England finally overcame Australia on Monday in one of the tightest and most dramatic Test series in living memory.And given a crowd of 750,000 gathered in London to welcome home England's Rugby World Cup-winning side 18 months ago, similar numbers may turn out to salute the cricketers.
England's victorious women's team will also be part of the parade and celebrations, following their own Ashes triumph over Australia's women last month.Route/celebration details:
The tour will proceed from Mansion House to Queen Victoria Street, Cannon Street, St Paul's Churchyard, Ludgate Hill, Fleet Street, Strand, Duncannon Street and Trafalgar Square, where the presentation will end at 1300 BST.The players will then head to Lord's, the home of England cricket, where they will present the tiny Ashes urn - which reputedly contains the burnt bails from the match in 1882 when Australia first beat England - to the MCC for safekeeping.
The team is also expected to visit 10 Downing Street where they will be guests of honour. The Metropolitan Police will install rolling road closures as necessary depending on crowds gathering along the route.Trafalgar Square was the venue for a victory parade for the 2004 Olympic and Paralympic teams and was packed for the announcement of the hosts of the 2012 Olympics in July.
On Monday, hundreds of fans clambered on to roofs and peered through gates in a bid to get a glimpse of live play, since tickets had long been sold out, while millions more watched with bated breath on televisions in homes, offices and pubs. "Both sides can take credit for giving us all such a wonderfully exciting and entertaining summer of cricket at its best"The Queen
Queen leads congratulations Sports stars tributes to EnglandThe Queen, patron of the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC), hailed their "magnificent achievement" in securing the Ashes after 18 years of frustration and defeat.
She watched the match while on her annual holiday at Balmoral and declared: "My warmest congratulations to you, the England cricket team and all in the squad for the magnificent achievement of regaining the Ashes."This has been a truly memorable series and both sides can take credit for giving us all such a wonderfully exciting and entertaining summer of cricket at its best."
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Tony Blair, who has been closely tracking progress during his visit to the Far East, wrote in a letter to Vaughan: "By bringing the Ashes back after so long you have given cricket a huge boost and lit up the whole summer."The new version of Messenger is here - download MSN Messenger 7.5 today!
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