By David Green BBC News Website

Fans took advantage of every possible vantage point

In fact, walking at all was almost impossible, so tightly packed together were the estimated 200,000 ecstatic fans in Liverpool city centre.

Reds supporters had been gathering outside St George's Hall since the afternoon as they waited to greet their heroes.

Even the announcement the team's open-topped bus had been delayed by two hours did not dampen their enthusiasm.

As one fan next to me shouted: "What's two hours when you've waited 20 years?"

Supporters thronged the team bus's victory route, with tumultuous scenes greeting the players as they arrived at Anfield.

Fans who remembered the glory years of the 1970s and 1980s mixed with children for whom tales of European triumphs were just that.

Back in the city centre, many older fans remarked they had never seen or heard anything remotely like it before, as whistles and horns competed for attention with constant football chants.

I can't believe the scenes. It's absolutely fantastic - I've never seen anything like this before Nick, 28, from Huyton

Finally the "red sea" erupted as 24-year-old club captain, Steven Gerrard, and his team-mates parted it, accompanied by the sounds of Gerry and the Pacemakers.

Children perched precariously on signposts, traffic lights and anything else that would give them a vantage point to tell their friends about. All you could see were red flags.

The sense of unbridled joy was made more special by the fact that, at half time in Istanbul's Ataturk Stadium, even the most devoted Liverpool fan would have given up the ghost, with their team losing 3-0.

"We were watching it in the pub, but I went home at half time - I felt sick in my stomach," said Gary, 23, from Anfield.

"I wish I hadn't done that now. Stevie Gerrard, though - what a hero."

The streets around Anfield erupted as the team bus approached

"At half-time we were singing 'We're going to win 4-3'," said Jason, 35, from Birkenhead.

"I don't think anyone really believed it but when Gerrard scored that goal, we knew we were going to battle."

"When it went to penalties, we knew we were going to do it. The Gods were smiling on us," added Nick, 28, from Huyton.

"I can't believe the scenes. It's absolutely fantastic - I was seven years old when we won the trophy last time but I've never seen anything like this before."

Now the fans hope this win will prove to be a turning point, signalling a return to the sort of glories that perhaps had been looking like they would remain consigned to the past.

But no matter how many trophies they go on to win, they will never forget this victory, and the day they painted the town red.