Blue Monday: Champions City Enjoy Parade

Tens of thousands of Manchester City fans have crowded the streets to watch the new Premier League champions take part in a victory parade.

It is the club's first top-flight title in 44 years and fans climbed lampposts and jostled for position on roof tops to glimpse a sight of the players.

The team emerged on a stage infront of Manchester's town hall to deafening applause and cheers, as hundreds of sky blue flags fluttered amongst the crowd.

Manager Roberto Mancini and team captain Vincent Kompany appeared last carrying the Premier League trophy, prompting the biggest cheer of the night.

Kompany told fans: "I want to say thank you, you guys have been amazing."

Mancini added: "I think that you should be proud of these players. They did everything for you. They wanted to win this championship for you."

After the players linked arms and joined fans in a rendition of the Queen anthem, We Are The Champions, the team travelled through the city in an open-top bus.

Police estimated the crowds reached 100,000 - with no reports of trouble and just a single minor arrest for drunk and disorderly.

The only contentious moment came when Carlos Tevez poked fun at his former Manchester United boss, brandishing a poster that read: "RIP Fergie".

City later apologised to Sir Alex in a statement, while Tevez said he did not mean any disrespect.

The celebrations come a day after their last-minute win over Queens Park Rangers saw them pip arch-rivals Manchester United to the Premier League crown.

At 2-1 down after 90 minutes City looked almost certain to miss out on the title, before injury-time goals from Edin Dzeko and Sergio Aguero gave them a 3-2 win.

In arguably the most dramatic finish ever to an English title race, the victory saw them snatch the trophy from United - who beat Sunderland 1-0 - on goal difference.

Goalkeeper Joe Hart said: "It was one of the most dramatic days of my life...and one of the best."

The capture of City's third league title sparked euphoric celebrations among the club's long-suffering supporters, who had watched as adversaries United became champions for a record 19th time last season.

Kompany posted a photo on Twitter of him celebrating with famous Blues supporters Oasis singer Liam Gallagher and boxer Ricky Hatton.

Fan Dan Walters, 25, from Sale, said: "This is incredible. I was at Wembley when we played Gillingham and we did it then in similar circumstances.

"We can only do it the hard way. But we have done it. It is brilliant, incredible."

Paul Fletcher, 40, from Manchester, said: "It's unbelievable. United had won, but what a finish.

"It's been 44 years of hurt and I've been coming for 34 of them. I'm going to enjoy tonight, and tomorrow, and the summer."

United manager Sir Alex Ferguson congratulated City on their achievement.

"I would like to say, on behalf of Manchester United, 'Congratulations to our neighbours'," he told Sky Sports.

"It's a fantastic achievement to win the Premier League. It's the hardest league in the world and anyone who wins it deserves it."