Fans turn out for England home-coming

England’s Rugby World Cup winners returned home to a huge welcome when flying in to Heathrow airport this morning.

Having stopped off in Singapore en route from Sydney, their flight touched down at 4.35am as thousands of fans braved the cold to greet Clive Woodward’s side.

Their plane had been re-named Sweet Chariot in honour of England’s unofficial anthem, with a special seat being reserved for the Webb Ellis Trophy itself.

One fan declared: “We’re here because they are the champions, it’s as simple as that.”

Another boasted: “They are the best side in the world and it’s great that so many people have turned out to cheer them home.”

Clive Woodward was first to emerge from the plane, followed shortly by captain Martin Johnson clutching the Webb Ellis Trophy and drop-goal hero Jonny Wilkinson.

But the biggest roar of all came when England passed through passport control and entered the arrivals hall.

Again it was Woodward who led the party, with this time Neil Back holding aloft the trophy as cheers and screaming broke out amid emotional scenes.

Rugby World Cup anthem World In Union was played out on the PA system as the squad climbed aboard their special bus.

Woodward himself now showed off the trophy as another chorus of Swing Low Sweet Chariot rose up and constant cries of ‘champions, champions’ greeted each new player to emerge.

A singer with a microphone added to the emotion with a stirring rendition of Jerusalem as face-painted fans waved their flags.

Matt Dawson kissed one lucky female fan while others shook hands with the hordes of England supporters.

After an agonising wait, man-of-the-moment Wilkinson emerged as the final England player to an amazing reception.

The Newcastle fly-half was hustled through a scrum of photographers by security personnel as cries of ‘Jonny, Jonny’ bounced around.