IT WAS time to celebrate, and celebrate Newport did.

More than 1,500 Newport County AFC fans turned out at Rodney Parade, the Civic Centre and lined the streets in between tonight to cheer on their heroes as they paraded through the city on an open top bus to celebrate their promotion to the Football League.

Flying their flags and wearing their football shirts with pride, fans young and old cheered, chanted and sang as players waved and held the trophy up high on the bus.

Banners reading "We love County" and "Well done Newport" were also being displayed with pride.

Fans started to gather early at Rodney Parade from 5.30pm before cheering each player as they boarded the bus just after 6pm.

Crowds then rushed to catch a second glimpse of the bus which made its way onto Corporation Road and Wharf Road before turning onto Chepstow Road and making its way up to the Civic Centre.

With horns being blown and the cheers continuing, players then enjoyed a drinks reception at the Civic Centre before returning to Rodney Parade where more than 1,000 fans passionately sang them back into the ground.

With chants including: "We love you Newport, we do" and "We are football league, we are football league," the party was in full flow as County players and officials made their way onto the balcony.

The cheers continued as each player, staff and official member was individually announced before manager Justin Edinburgh thanked the fans personally.

He said: "Thank you all for coming. It is an amazing turnout. You have touched our hearts as you have done all season."

Mr Edinburgh, who also thanked players and club members, told the cheering crowd: "I promised you and we got there."

County chairman, Les Scadding also thanked fans, telling them: "You deserve everything you got on Sunday and today. You’ve been fantastic people and fantastic supporters.

"Come next season, we are going to do a better job and I tell you what, you’re going to enjoy every minute of it."

Mayor of Newport, Cllr John Guy presented a framed scroll to Mr Edinburgh as the singing and cheering continued.

Players then took to the microphone, leading chants and dancing on the balcony before heading back indoors as the fans below continued their partying and celebrated what they had waited a long 25 years for - a team in the Football League.