 Thousands turned out in team colours for the parade |
An estimated 100,000 Liverpool FC fans lined the city's streets to welcome home their team, winners of one of the FA Cup's most exciting finals. The Reds won on penalties after drawing Saturday's match 3-3 with West Ham.
A sea of fans cheered the team as they set off in an open top bus from the police training centre on Mather Avenue on the 10-mile route to the city.
Chelsea also staged a victory parade in west London to celebrate the club's defence of the Premiership title.
Penalty win
The Reds won a roller-coaster match after going 2-0 and 3-2 down.
Captain Steven Gerrard scored two goals to help his team back into the game, before they eventually won 3-1 on penalties.
The entire squad, all wearing club tracksuits, were quickly mobbed by fans. Early on the route there was enough space for youngsters to run alongside the coach to cheer and wave at their heroes but that became increasingly difficult as the crowds began to grow.
John Arne Riise, last seen hobbling around Cardiff's Millennium Stadium with cramp, was at the front with his video camera to record the scenes.
Man of the match Steven Gerrard, who is due to fly out to England's World Cup training camp in Portugal on Monday, remained seated unlike many other players.
More than 200 Liverpool Capital of Culture stewards were on standby alongside a large police presence.
The players, accompanied by their children, passed the FA Cup, waving and smiling to the hordes of fans.
People of all ages stood on roofs, lampposts, bus shelters and traffic lights, to get the perfect photo.
Two elderly ladies sitting in garden chairs raised a glass of wine to their team while scores of children, perched on car roofs, waved their scarves.
A group of teenage boys rode up and down the road with flags hanging off their BMX bikes, while others sang Ring Of Fire.
'Well done lads'
As the bus passed Allerton Fire Station, a fire engine was parked outside with a huge Liverpool flag hanging from the front.
Three firefighters perched on top, taking photos on disposable cameras.
Among the banners were ones that read: "You'll Never Walk Alone" and "Well Done Lads: Justice For Michael" - referring to 18-year-old Liverpool fan Michael Shields, who is serving a jail term in Bulgaria for assault.
This is the second successive year Reds fans have thronged the streets in celebration.
Last year's celebrations saw an estimated one million people on the city's streets rejoicing at the club's European Champions League victory over AC Milan.
Dubbed the "Miracle of Istanbul", Liverpool pulled back a three-goal deficit before beating the Italian side 3-2 in another penalty shoot-out.
This year's celebrations were particularly sweet for Reds manager Rafa Benitez, who has won silverware in each of his first two seasons.
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