Thousands welcome home triumphant Villa as heroes

A sea of claret and blue flooded Birmingham as thousands of Aston Villa fans welcomed home the team as heroes after their Europa League cup triumph.

More than 20,000 supporters were estimated to have been in Centenary Square on Thursday to see the players lift the trophy – the club's first in 30 years – less than 24 hours after a 3-0 victory against Freiburg in Istanbul.

Hundreds more lined the streets, with some arriving hours in advance to pick the best spots to see the team's bus parade through the city.

It was an emotional occasion for fans gathered in the city centre, where claret and blue smoke billowed from flares as flags were flown.

Roars filled the air at the end of the parade route when the trophy was held aloft before confetti rained down on supporters.

Addressing the crowd shortly afterwards, manager Unai Emery said the team were "delighted" to share the trophy with them.

"And of course we are so, so proud of you," Emery added. "This moment is really fantastic, our heart is your heart, your heart is our heart."

• The sea of claret and blue - Thursday's live coverage of Villa's return with cup

Defender Tyrone Mings also spoke from the top deck, revealing to those watching that he and his teammates had "one hell of a party" after the match ended.

"We celebrated very hard," he said. "I'm sure you guys have too… I just want to say thank you so much. What a fan base, what a set of players. We are so grateful for all of you showing up today."

Even royalty was caught up in the excitement of Villa's win. Prince William, who was seen punching the air at the match in Turkey on Wednesday, could only laugh when a reporter asked him during a visit to Cornwall on Thursday whether he had enjoyed the football.

The parade began in the city's Jewellery Quarter shortly before 17:00 BST, winding its way via Broad Street to Centenary Square.

Fans' personal stories were revealed along the route. Among them were a group of employees from Krypton Jewellers, who had gathered to wait for the bus on Hall Street.

They told the BBC their boss had allowed them the afternoon off to celebrate and watch the parade, with one saying they were feeling "fantastic".

Another fan, Andy, said he had been a supporter since about 1980 and had been in the city centre to see the club bring back its last European trophy - the European Cup - in 1982.

"I came to that [parade] and I'm here now so I can say I've been to two of them," he said.

Asked what it was like back then, he said: "Brilliant, absolutely amazing. I was 17 years old, I think, and it was fantastic."

Villa confirmed the parade would take place on Thursday not long after their victory, explaining that it had not been possible to hold it over the weekend or on Bank Holiday Monday.

This meant some fans still in or travelling home from Turkey missed out on celebrations in Birmingham, with Anna from Sutton Coldfield among them.

"Lots of other travelling fans as well won't be back in time," she said earlier, wishing the issue could have been factored into plans so people could "witness the glory".

"So it's a bit disheartening and annoying really."

But for those in Birmingham who could not make the trip abroad, there were smiles all round.

A family comprising of Marie, Ethan, Geoge and Silvie were among the first to welcome back the team, after grabbing a spot on Hall Street.

It was particularly special for Silvie, as she used to be a Villa steward and was pictured holding the European Cup back in 1982.

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