Athletes' Airport Welcome Cancelled Over Safety Fears

The public has been urged to stay away from the homecoming of Britain's Olympic champions because of 'health and safety' fears, dashing hopes of a heroes' welcome after the nation's best medal haul for 100 years.

Thousands of people were expected to gather at Heathrow's Terminal 5 to greet the athletes off a British Airways flight from Beijing tomorrow afternoon. However, Team GB will pose for photographers on leaving the plane before being taken to the airport's VIP suite, which is usually reserved for royalty and heads of state. The medal winners will then hold a press conference.

BA and the British Airports Authority, which operates Heathrow, said there would be no public reception because a large crowd could threaten health and safety in the terminal building. BAA said huge problems occurred when thousands of fans gathered to greet England's rugby World Cup-winning squad five years ago.

The advice jarred with Gordon Brown's promise of a welcome fit for heroes. Speaking in Beijing yesterday, the Prime Minister said: 'Millions are watching on television in Britain and the enthusiasm and joy of the Olympic events is rising every day so that when the team returns on Monday they will have a tremendous reception and ovation from the whole of the British people.'

But fans will have to wait until 16 October for an official parade through London. A spokeswoman for BA, which is co-ordinating the arrangements, said the public was advised not go to the airport. She explained: 'This was agreed by the police, the BAA and BA because of health and safety concerns.'

A spokeswoman for the British Olympic Authority said: 'There is going to be the opportunity to celebrate the success through different media. There is a party on The Mall tomorrow [Sunday] which will reflect on the successes and look ahead to 2012.'

There was another triumph yesterday when boxer James DeGale won the men's middleweight title, taking Britain's gold medal haul to 19. One of the brightest prospects for the 2012 London Games, diver Tom Daley, who is 14, finished seventh in the 10-meter platform final.