Revellers have cheered in the New Year around the world – including millions across the UK, despite bad weather forcing the cancellation of many celebrations.
From Sydney to Mumbai to Nairobi, communities around the world began welcoming 2025 with spectacular light shows, embraces and ice plunges.
Countries in the South Pacific Ocean are the first to ring in the New Year, with midnight in New Zealand striking 18 hours before the ball drop in Times Square in New York.
Auckland became the first major city to celebrate, as thousands thronged downtown or climbed the city’s ring of volcanic peaks for a vantage point for the fireworks as well as a light display recognising Indigenous people.
Meanwhile, conflict muted acknowledgements of the new year in places like the Middle East, Sudan and Ukraine.
A storm bringing bitter weather put a dampener on festivities in the UK, with a number of celebrations scrapped.
Edinburgh’s outdoor Hogmanay events, which include a street party and fireworks, were cancelled due to safety concerns.
Meanwhile, fireworks displays in Blackpool, Newcastle, Ripon in North Yorkshire, and the Isle of Wight were all axed.
However, London’s mayor Sir Sadiq Khan confirmed the capital’s New Year’s Eve fireworks display was going to go ahead as planned amid fears the weather would impact the event.
Just a couple of hours before midnight, the Met Office issued a fresh amber warning for heavy rain that was set to lash parts of the country to begin 2025.
The alert has been put in place across parts of North-West England until 9am on New Year’s Day, stretching from Settle in the Yorkshire Dales across to Preston and down to parts of the Peak District.
The warning states that heavy rain is “likely to lead to disruption including flooding in some locations”, with a chance some places could see more than 10cm of rain.
Many faced heavy rain, strong winds and even snow in some parts, leading to widespread disruption on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, winds of up to 60mph are forecast across much of England and Wales all day on Wednesday, with gusts of 75mph likely around coastal areas and hills, according to the Met Office.
