Leicester wakes up to Premier League title party hangover

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Woman cleaning at Leicester City
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One of the clean-up team at Leicester City tackles the celebration aftermath

"Did that really happen?" Leicester City fans have woken up wondering if their incredible Premier League title triumph was all just a dream.

The celebrations lasted long into the early hours after Chelsea's result handed the Foxes a historic victory.

At odds of 5000/1, it was the sort of win seen only in comic books, and fans spilled on to the streets to celebrate.

Now a clean-up has begun, as the city wakes up with a collective title party hangover.

City triumphant after Leicester's title victory

Cleaners have been out since 06:00 BST sweeping up after the revelry, with litter left strewn around the club's King Power Stadium.

Image source, EPA
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Hundreds of people spilled out on to the streets in celebration

Hundreds had gathered outside the stadium just minutes after Tottenham Hotspur's 2-2 draw at Chelsea confirmed Leicester's win.

Crowds then filed out of the city's pubs on to the streets around the clock tower, where drums sounded, car horns blared and chants were heard well into Tuesday morning.

Rob Tanner, the Leicester Mercury's chief football writer, said it had been a "magical adventure" not unlike the exploits of 1970s children's cartoon Mr Benn, who entered other realms to escape his normal life.

"I saw a champagne cork on the side at home - and realised that yes, it really did happen," Mr Tanner said.

Image source, Reuters
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Leicester City fans partied long into Tuesday morning

"Leicester fans must feel as if they are in a parallel universe.

"The whole world has been watching Leicester City for months. It means so much to the city. It's a one club county, everyone supports City, everyone is rejoicing."

One Foxes fan told BBC Radio Leicester: "I was watching at a friend's house and then I dashed down [to the King Power stadium] to party on all night, it was great."

Another said: "The second goal [Chelsea scored] to make it two each, I jumped up and took the light fitting down in the lounge which my wife wasn't happy about."

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Car horns beeped long into the night

Fervent celebrations lasted into the early hours, but Leicestershire Police said the occasion passed peacefully and no arrests had been made.

A spokesman for the force said: "There were certainly lots of people out celebrating - about 1,000 at the stadium and hundreds in the town centre.

"It was all good-natured - dancing and waving banners. We didn't have much in the way of actual trouble."

Image source, EPA
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Hundreds celebrated around Leicester's clock tower in the city centre

Image source, Reuters
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Fans drove around the city with their car horns blaring

Celebrated former Leicester and England footballer Gary Lineker, a season ticket holder since the age of seven, tweeted: "It was a dream, wasn't it?"

The city's mayor, Sir Peter Soulsby, said: "It's absolutely amazing, it really is. We've had media attention across the world already and now that we are champions, I think I'm expecting a little more.

"There's been camera crews in town for some weeks but today has been utterly unbelievable.

Image source, Neil Heath

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