Olympic sailors parade through Weymouth and Portland
Members of the Team GB Olympic sailing team were given a heroes welcome as they took part in an open-top bus parade through Weymouth and Portland.
The team won a gold and four silver medals in the sailing events held at Portland's National Sailing Academy. The parade started at Osprey Quay at 14:30 BST and culminated on Weymouth seafront at about 18:20. Lindsay Bell, of the Royal Yachting Association, said it was to thank residents for their "amazing support". "It was fantastic to see the crowds turning up to cheer on the athletes and their support really pushed the sailors to achieve their best and they couldn't have done it without them," she added. The athletes, including four-time gold medallist Ben Ainslie, were on board the bus which was led by a convoy of police vehicles. Mr Ainslie showed his medal to the crowd and said: "This is the biggest and heaviest medal we've seen over the years. It has been in my pocket for the last week or so, and then eventually my mum and dad will look after it." Luke Patience, who won silver with Stuart Bithell in the 470, said: "The public have been amazing, it's something we don't get to experience as much because we are out on the water." Thousands of people lined the route through Fortuneswell, Portland Heights, Hope Square, Weymouth through Victoria Square and Wyke Regis, before a parade along the seafront. The event was part of Weymouth's annual carnival celebrations. Adverse weather conditions earlier in the day meant a planned display by the Red Devils parachute team was cancelled. A Battle of Britain memorial flight involving a Hurricane and a Spitfire was also called off but the Lancaster bomber made an appearance during the afternoon. Carnival chairman Roger Hogbin said some acts that had been booked to perform at the event had failed to turn up but the remaining performers had been rescheduled to provide a full programme of entertainment.