PRESIDENT Nelson Mandela was feted by thousands of cheering dancing blacks as Brixton in south London, gave him an ecstatic welcome on the emotional high point of his state visit to Britain.
Mr Mandela beamed broad throughout his 80 minute tour of the rundown inner city area, home to one of Britain's biggest black communities.
After dancing joyfully with a women's group, he was mobbed on his first walkabout of the four day tour through a local market. His motorcade was swamped by crowds wanting to touch the hand of their hero.
People stood 10 to 15 deep behind barriers, on rooftops and on the platforms of a railway station overlooking the Brixton Recreation Centre where his visit started.
"We want Nelson, we want Nelson the crowd chanted as Mr Mandela (77), accompanied by the Prince of Wales, climbed the steps to receive a bouquet of flowers and a kiss from a local black girl.
In the streets below, dancing crowds spread as far as the eye could see as reggae music blasted out of a huge sound system. A giant sign on the front of the centre read Siyakwamkela Madihae Brixton, welcoming the South African leader.
In a short speech he said he had been looking forward for months to his visit to Brixton. "It is literally a fulfilment of a dream that I have been a visitor to this place," Mr Mandela said.
"Although many of you in this audience are comparatively young and may not have taken part in the anti apartheid struggle, I want to tell you that Britain, especially London and the community of Brixton, were the heartland of the anti apartheid struggle.
"You ... regarded that as your own struggle and it gives me great pleasure to be able to stand on this soil and be able to thank you for what you did.
"I want to show I love each and everyone of you without exception," he said, triggering a chorus of "we love you" from the multiracial crowd in the centre.
Mr Mandela has been lionised by royalty, parliament and above all the people, on a state visit which has featured unparalleled scenes of excitement and hero worship.
Inside the centre, entertained by a steel band and a gospel choir, Mr Mandela was shown how Brixton, hit by racial tension and riots in the 1980s, was trying to entice employers to the area and give young people a sense of purpose.
After leaving Brixton, Mr Mandela headed for Trafalgar Square, site of South Africa's diplomatic mission which was the focus of Britain's well organised anti-apartheid movement.