Homecoming Parade For Staffordshire Gold Medalist

29 August 2016, 08:12 | Updated: 29 August 2016, 08:28

Gold medal winning canoeist Joe Clarke will be honoured in his hometown of Stone today after Olympic success in Rio

A homecoming parade is being held through the streets of Stone today for Olympic gold medalist Joe Clarke.

He came top in the canoe slalom at Rio this month.

The victory parade will see the 23-year-old carried through the streets in his kayak.

There will also be a civic reception for Joe before the parade.

Stone Town Mayor Jim Davies told Heart it was right to celebrate someone who's such a big part of Stone.

#Stone Mayor Jim Davies is looking forward to celebrating @joeclarkek1's success in Rio at homecoming #HeartNews pic.twitter.com/HInD8XjorX

— West Mids News (@HeartWMidsNews) August 29, 2016

Friend and mentor Pete Willett went out to Rio to see Joe win gold and says it was amazing to see someone you've taught become the best.

Canoe club treasurer Pete Appleton said:

!It's great for Joe and it's great for the profile of the club.

"At some point it's traditional in slalom they get carried by other members of the club in the kayak, so at some stage we'll be hoisting him above our shoulders.

"It's an excuse to make a good bank holiday afternoon of it."

He added members had also decided to spray-paint their letter box, nailed to the side of the clubhouse building, in gold after the Royal Mail's announcement it would not be painting post boxes as it did for London 2012 medal winners.

"We heard the news Thursday morning and a few others got down to B&Q and got a couple of tins of gold spray-paint.

"We thought the Royal Mail might follow suit and paint the post box but apparently they don't do that any more, which is disappointing.

"If they changed their minds, we'd support it."