St Helens victory parade: Thousands of fans line streets

Joanna Ellison (left) and Angela Speakman criticised the council for their Covid advice

Thousands of St Helens rugby league fans lined the streets for their victory parade despite Covid fears.

Fans were asked to "avoid crowds" and get tested before celebrating the Challenge Cup wins on Monday night.

Some supporters said the St Helens Council advice was "crazy", while others admitted to being "nervous".

The area's public health director said with the current Covid case rates it was "important to follow safe behaviours".

An open-top bus parade started at 18:00 BST to honour the men's and women's rugby teams who both won the Challenge Cup.

The men's team won the Challenge Cup for the first time in 13 years as they overturned a half-time deficit to beat Castleford 26-12 at Wembley Stadium.

In June, St Helens also won the Women's Challenge Cup for the first time as they crushed York City Knights 34-6.

The men's team won the Challenge Cup for the first time in 13 years

Speaking at the victory parade, mother-of-two Joanna Ellison, 51, said: "It was crazy advice for the council to ask people to take Covid tests to come out.

"And how can you avoid crowds in a victory parade?

"Covid or not I was always going to come out."

Her friend Angela Speakman, 45, added: "The Saints have brought back the trophy so I was always going to come out.

"The council are talking nonsense."

Nursery nurse Megan Hughes, 22, who went to the Wembley final, said: "We needed this parade after Covid, it is rubbish to put people off coming or make them take another test."

Megan Hughes said the parade was "needed" after the past year

St Helens recorded 962 new Covid infections in the week to 15 July, giving the area a rate of 533 cases per 100,000 people living there.

This was a 9% rise on the previous week and is higher than the overall rate for England of 470 cases per 100,000.

St Helens' director for public health, Ruth du Plessis, said the council had always encouraged people to take a test before attending events where it was possible to come into contact with many others.

She said she was "delighted" the event could go ahead to celebrate the clubs' "great success".

"Regular testing is one of the ways we can help to protect ourselves and others and now more than ever. This includes getting vaccinated, testing regularly and isolating if you have symptoms," she added.

Janet and Steve Whetnall did not go to Wembley but went to the parade

Mother-of-one Sarah Hayes was nervous of being in a crowd again

Retired teachers Janet, 64, and Steve Whetnall, 68, did not go the Wembley final because of Covid fears but were at the parade.

"We saw the scenes at the football final so didn't think it was a good idea," Mr Whetnall said.

"But this seems a lot safer so we wanted to come."

Mother-of-one Sarah Hayes, 41, from Lytham St Anne's in Lancashire, said: "I am a bit wary of being here but everyone is a bit spaced out.

"It's good it's come on the same day as the restrictions are being lifted - I'm very excited to see the team."