Black Country golden girl Ellie Simmonds joins Great Britain's stars on Rio parade
Swimming sensation Ellie Simmonds joined fellow Midlands stars from Great Britain's Olympics and Paralympic teams to celebrate their record-breaking performances at the Rio games.
An excited Ellie, aged 21, kept fans up to date via her Twitter account, posting a pictures with her teammates.
The swimmer had tweeted that she was 'very excited for the next two days' – referring to today's parade in Manchester and tomorrow's march through Trafalgar Square.
She later tweeted: It's raining but we are still smiling."
The region's most successful Paralympian was celebrating taking home the sixth gold medal of her career in this year's Rio games.
She said: "I'm so shocked by all the people who have come out today and supported us.
"I'm having a bit of a break now and travelling the world.
"I've achieved my dream of a gold medal. Now I have five.
"I'm really fortunate to love swimming and the opportunities it has given me."
Stars including Jessica Ennis-Hill, Dame Sarah Storey, Max Whitlock, Jade Jones and Nicola Adams were among the athletes attending the parade, which acted as an official homecoming event for the heroic athletes, with more than 100,000 people lining the streets of Manchester to celebrate their success.
Staffordshire canoeist Joe Clarke also joined in the fun at the parade tweeting pictures of himself on the open-air backed lorry through the streets.
It followed on from a number of events around the region put together to welcome their heroes back home in August, with sports centres and clubs putting on special events.
Other representatives from the region in the Paralympic games included Halesowen's tennis star Jordanne Whiley and cyclist Helen Scott, Walsall's archer Ryan Cockbill, Wolverhampton wheelchair basketball player Kyle Marsh and shooter Richard Davies from Stourbridge.
Ennis-Hill retired from athletics last week at the age of 30 having this summer won heptathlon silver in Brazil to go with her gold from London four years ago.
And the two-time former world champion made her first public appearance since calling time on her career as hundreds of Team GB and ParalympicsGB athletes take to the streets of Manchester city centre.
Wolverhampton gymnast Kristain Thomas, who trains in Halesowen, also joined teammates at the event.
The event in Manchester is the first of back-to-back 'heroes parades' to toast Great Britain's phenomenal success in Rio, with the second celebration being held in London on Tuesday.
Both British squads finished second in their respective medal tables at this summer's Games.
Team GB collected 27 golds among their medal total of 67 - two more than from London 2012 - for their best-ever haul from an overseas Olympics.
The ParalympicsGB squad, meanwhile, returned from South America with 147 medals, including 64 golds.
The athletes, which include the likes of Nicola Adams, Max Whitlock and the Brownlee brothers Alistair and Jonny, plan to travel down to London for another celebration on tomorrow.
That will be held in Trafalgar Square from 1pm.
