Victory parade and a golden post box – Herefordshire Paralympians have done themselves proud (From Hereford Times)

Victory parade and a golden post box – Herefordshire Paralympians have done themselves proud

9:53am Monday 10th September 2012 in News By Lauren Rogers

As 800 athletes took part the London 2012 victory parade, a postbox in Hay-on-Wye was being painted gold to celebrate local girl Josie Pearson's Paralympic success.

Josie, who lives in Cusop, took Gold in the F51/52/53 discus on Friday, breaking the world record in the F51 class at the same time.

When the Golden girl returns home later today (Tuesday), friends, family and neighbours will hold a huge party.

Josie said she'll miss the "Paralympic bubble" but is looking forward to being back on Herefordshire soil.

The book town is buzzing with pride after the 26-year-old's sporting success.

Yesterday, Royal Mail painted the red postbox in Church Street golden and has issued first class stamps featuring Josie’s image.

The stamps will be on sale in around 500 dedicated Post Offices across the UK within five working days and at a further 4,700 branches thereafter.

 

• Josie's Golden moment - how it happened .

Yesterday 800 athletes, including Silver medal swimmers Sascha and Nyree Kindred, took part in the London 2012 victory parade.

Their sporting efforts will leave a lasting legacy, but for now life looks as if it is returning to relative normality. Earlier today, Sascha - who won Silver in the SM6 200m medley - took to Twitter to tell fans he was on the way home to Herefordshire and then off to the supermarket.