Ian Short

Greg Rutherford, the Olympic gold medalist in long jump, had a victory parade in Woburn Sands yesterday afternoon (he lives here, on our street). He travelled in an open top bus from Frost’s Garden Centre to Mowbray Green and back again. On top of the bus was Greg, some photographers, the mayor, and a few others, probably family. The streets were lined with flag wavers, a lot of them children from the local schools. Ellie, Isi, and I stood outside our house as the bus came past. We were in an empty patch for onlookers, as we live near Mowbray Green, where people were gathering instead. I held Is high in the air and she got a wave from Greg. E was cursing me for not standing in front of her so that she could get a photo of Greg with Is in the foreground.

There was a small ceremony at Mowbray Green. Usually Mowbray Green, which is a small patch of grass with trees by a busy road, is occupied by a few teenagers. Instead it was filled with the people of Woburn Sands. The mayor thanked the garden centre, the guy who lent the open-top bus (who has an open-top bus?), and various others. Greg thanked everyone. There is now a plaque on the green (an 8.35 metres long thing) celebrating Greg’s achievement. People cheered, Isabel cried, and so we took our leave. Apparently Greg had to shoot off straight after to appear on Channel 4’s The million pound drop.