WEYMOUTH and Portland went all Mediterranean as residents gave their very own Olympic medal heroes a tumultuous reception.

Under skies as blue as those at the Athens Games, and amid scenes of great celebration, the borough's four sailing medallists received a rapturous welcome from hundreds of people during a two-hour tour of the borough.

Huge crowds gathered at New Bond Street in Weymouth and at Portland Heights to see gold medal-winner Sarah Ayton and her bronze medal-winning colleagues Nick Dempsey, Chris Draper and Simon Hiscocks, who helped the British Olympic Team scoop the biggest number of Olympic medals for 80 years.

The quartet agreed they were stunned by the amount of people lining the streets and at two massive receptions yesterday.

Windsurfer Nick Dempsey, who won his medal in thrilling style on the last day of racing, said: "If you add together everyone on the streets then you are talking so many people - we just cannot believe it."

What was a jubilant afternoon for the borough began with a polite but celebratory official reception in the mayor's parlour.

Mayor Lynne Herbert greeted the four sailors, resplendent in their official Team GB sports outfits, before presenting them each with a personalised engraved plaque.

The athletes looked deeply touched when they read the words 'from the people of Weymouth and Portland'.

Coun Herbert told them: "I do not think that anywhere else in Britain can boast of having four medallists.

"You have inspired so many people and really done us proud."

They were then whisked away on a magical bus tour through the streets in glorious late summer sunshine.

All along the way cars tooted their horns, Union flags flew from windows and gardens, and bystanders of all ages stopped to cheer and wave.

There was a mass of people at the top of Old Castle Road, where engaged couple Nick Dempsey and Sarah Ayton share a home.

Cheers even broke out on a blustery Portland Beach Road, where windsurfers stopped to wave.

Bronze-medallist 49er sailor Simon Hiscocks, who lives in Newstead Road, said: "It's mad - look at all the people!

"It's been more than a week after the Olympics, so we had no idea what to expect."

His Castletown-based partner Chris Draper, 26, said the people on the streets had stunned him.

He said: "Just seeing them on the pavement waving and cheering has been awesome - we never expected this."

The bus, provided by Sureline and decked out in Olympic flags and bunting, was met by a crowd of more than 100 eager people at Portland Heights Hotel.

After brief speeches by Coun Herbert and island mayor Kris Haskins, the four addressed the crowd and stopped to sign autographs for dozens of families and school children.

Roger Skelton, of Sweethill Road, queued to get autographs for his two grandchildren Nathaniel and Alex.

He said: "I felt it was very important to come up and meet the sailors. They have dedicated a lot of their time and we need more people like them."

Eleven-year-old islanders Jack Brown, Dale Kinghorn and Ben Hackland all said: "We all want to be sailors in the Olympics."

After a circuit through Easton, the bus headed back to Weymouth where it was greeted by an even bigger crowd of well-wishers.

Numbering in the hundreds, they broke into spontaneous applause and cheers as the bus made its way down St Thomas Street.

More applause rang out as each sailor was introduced to the crowd.

Windsurfer Nick Dempsey, 24, who won a thrilling bronze medal in his final race, told them: "We just cannot believe the reception - it is great to have such a good community behind us.

"Thank you all so much."

Together with Chris and Simon, he pledged they would be hoping to complete some unfinished business in Beijing 2008 and bring home a gold medal. His fiancee Sarah Ayton, who won Britain's first gold of the Games in the Yngling keelboat, drew a massive cheer as she urged a crowd to get behind the 2012 bid.

She said: "When the Greek girls won in Athens I said to myself wouldn't it be amazing if the sailing came to Weymouth.

"If we could stand here in the town and get our medals that would be awesome."

That brought out a massive rendition of For They Are Jolly Good Fellows from the crowd, followed by a rousing three cheers.

The four sailors were then treated to a celebratory meal with friends at the Acropolis Hotel's Greek Taverna Restaurant in Weymouth.

On the menu were Greek specialities including moussaka, spinach pie and calamari, and no doubt a drink or two.