Gold medallist Amy Williams' open-top bus tour of Bath

Thousands of people lined the streets of Bath to welcome back Olympic gold medallist Amy Williams as she toured the city on an open-top bus.

The 27-year-old is the first individual British gold medallist at the Winter Olympics for 30 years having won the skeleton event in Vancouver.

The bus took her from Hayesfield Girls' School, where she was a pupil, to a civic reception at the Guildhall.

More than 1,000 flag-waving pupils cheered as she left the school.

Earlier she had spoken at a special assembly and been asked to come back to open a new sports facility.

She was also told she still held the school's 200m record.

Paul Greer, Radio 5 Live, with Amy Williams on the bus It was clear that Amy and her family were amazed at the number of people who turned out to welcome her home. "I don't know where to look," said Amy. "It's so lovely that all these people have come out to cheer and wave at me." Amy's dad, Ian Williams, said he had been too busy over the last few days to even think about the open-top bus ride, but admitted he too was astonished at the way people smiled and cheered along the route. As the bus arrived in the centre of Bath, a friend turned and said: "Gosh Amy, just look at the crowds, you're famous." To which she replied: "I know, I can't really believe it. It's just mad. I've come home and suddenly everyone knows who I am."

She said: "I love my city. Whenever I'm away and come back I feel such a relief to be back home.

"It's crazy, just mad. I have come home and everyone knows who I am.

"Our sport wasn't really in the spotlight before, even though we had great results in competitions."

She added: "I'm not going to change and I'm still going to be the same person, training to get to to the next Olympics.

Williams was joined on the bus by her parents Ian and Jan, her brother Simon and his wife Sarah.

She added: "It's great to bring back the medal and to have the medal next to me.

"I always sleep with it under my pillow now because I don't really know what else to do with it."

Williams is Britain's first individual winter Olympic gold medallist since the skater Robin Cousins triumphed at Lake Placid in 1980.

She won the skeleton competition by more than half a second.

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