Trafalgar Square event celebrates Rio 2016 athletes

Britain's Olympic and Paralympic stars have been honoured with a celebration in London's Trafalgar Square.

It follows the victory parade in Manchester on Monday when thousands of supporters lined the streets to cheer on the victorious athletes.

Team GB won 67 medals in Rio, two more than they gained at London 2012, while the Paralympians won 147 medals - 27 more than four years ago.

Medallists also attended a reception at Buckingham Palace.

Gymnast Max Whitlock performed acrobatics for the crowd on the Trafalgar Square stage

Boxer Nicola Adams took photos of the crowds from the stage

About 6,000 people are thought to have attended the event

Sprinter Asha Philip won a bronze as part of the Women's 4x100m relay team

• Miranda Hart's love letter to Team GB

• Olympic Facewall - who are Team GB's medal winners?

• Money? Detail? How team GB do it?

• Just how Great were Britain in Rio?

About 6,000 people were expected at the "Heroes Return" event in central London which began at 13:00 BST.

Several of the athletes addressed the crowd from the stage, paying tribute to the support they had received.

Paralympian Richard Whitehead MBE said the event was "amazing" and called London "a special place for sport".

Swimmer Adam Peaty, who won Team GB's first gold medal and broke his own world record at Rio, said seeing the number of spectators in Trafalgar Square meant "so much" to him.

Team GB athletes joined in with a Mexican wave on the stage

Many Union Jacks were flown beneath Nelson's Column

Diver Tom Daley had been unable to attend Monday's event in Manchester

London mayor Sadiq Khan said the athletes had "inspired millions of people".

"I feel privileged and humbled to be here as a fan," he said.

Guardsmen entertained the crowd before the athletes arrived

Confetti was released to mark the end of the celebrations

Women's hockey player Maddie Hinch led a group selfie

Many spectators held up messages of support for the athletes

After appearing at Trafalgar Square, Nicola Adams later met the Queen at Buckingham Palace

The event ended with the athletes dancing on stage during a performance by The Vamps, after which confetti was released in the square.

Various members of the Royal Family - including the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry - joined the Queen to meet medallists at the Buckingham Palace reception.

You can read more stories about inspiring sporting stars on our Pinterest board