THE STREETS were paved in claret and blue as thousands of West Ham fans lined the streets to welcome back their footballing heroes who have won promotion back to the Premiership.

Around 70,000 people, all waving flags and banners with pride, cheered loudly as an open-top bus carrying Hammers boss Alan Pardew and his players went from Newham Town Hall, East Ham to the club's ground in Upton Park on Tuesday night.

Clear to see as the bus paraded through the streets, was the play-off trophy won by the Hammers, when they beat Preston North End on Monday at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff.

The trophy was being held by the delighted players, including local boy and match winner Bobby Zamora, who scored the vital goal that secured West Ham were going to be playing Premiership football next season.

The squad met with Newham mayor Sir Robin Wales who held a special reception at the town hall before boarding the bus and showing off the trophy.

It went down Barking Road where more fans were singing the club's theme tune I'm Forever Blowing Bubbles.

The bus passed the statue of West Ham legends Bobby Moore, Sir Geoff Hurst and Martin Peters, a reminder of Hammers' past glories now meeting with the one of today.

It then made its way along Green Street, where more fans stood, hung onto lamposts and sat on rooftops before the bus went through the gates of the Boleyn Ground.

Pardew and his players, plus all the Hammers' coaching and backroom staff came on to the balcony The Hammers boss expressed his thanks to the fans, remarking that the club were now "out of the darkness of the Championship and into the new light of the Premiership once more."

Team captain Nigel Reo-Coker also made a speech before embarking on a dance with his equally-delighted team-mates and the coveted trophy.

Pictures from the parade are in a special picture gallery on this website