I Want To Hold The Line. I'll Bring The Cheese And Wine.

A few hundred privileged City fans glimpsed their heroes drop into an Italian restaurant for a slap-up meal this afternoon.

The 2016 Premier League champions made time for a visit to San Carlo in Granby Street, in the city centre shortly after 1.30pm.

A coach dropped off the players outside the restaurant and into a throng of delirious and chanting supporters.

They were whisked inside and the windows blocked out to afford them some privacy.

Rumours that something special was on the cards began to circulate around 1pm when a small team of police officers arrived in the street.

The crowd swelled to the hundreds as more and more people cottoned on.

David May, 64, was one of the first to arrive – complete with a City flag.

Mr May, whose company May's Electrical has a long association with the Foxes, said: "I'd booked at San Carlo for today but they rang me and apologised that they would have to cancel because there was a special party coming in.

"I put two and two together and came down from Knighton to see if I was right – and I was.

"I've been waiting all my life for this, it's been an amazing season.

"I went to the Man United game at the weekend and, although we didn't win it there, it was amazing.

"The United fans applauded City of the pitch.

"I watched the Spurs v Chelsea game in the pub and people were saying at 2-0 that we were going to have to wait for the next game, but I always believed it would finish 2-2 and that we'd be champions.

"The whole thing is crazy. We've had some successes over the years and some trips to Wembley, but this is on another plane."

Sally Frazer, of Market Bosworth, chanced on the impromptu street party as she and her family walked through the city centre.

She said: "We walked into town from the King Power Stadium – where the atmosphere was amazing.

"We saw people standing around outside the restaurant and wondered what was going on.

"Someone said they'd heard that the players were coming for a meal, so we had to stay to find out if it was true – and it was.

"The atmosphere is wonderful, everyone is so happy.

"What the team have achieved is a one-off and we won't see anything like it again."

Construction worker Jay Harbin, 44, of Ashby, was also one of the first people at the happy scene.

He said: "We saw a police car pull up and made a joke about them getting a ticket if they parked there.

"It was our break so we came out and there must have 10 or so people waiting around.

"Then it just grew and grew as the word went around that the players were going to be coming. It was brilliant."