NEW Year’s Eve revellers sheltered under scarves, bags and broken umbrellas to brave the wind and rain.
Thousands of Brits across the country took to the streets to usher in 2025 despite the chaotic weather.
NB PRESS LTDLeeds revellers took shelter under umbrellas[/caption]
NB PRESS LTDA pair hide from the rain under a scarf[/caption]
NB PRESS LTDA young woman holds up a broken umbrella[/caption]
Winds as strong as 75mph and torrential rain were not enough to halt the boozy celebrations as pals made the most of things.
But as the night rumbled on, partygoers were forced to make do with whatever they had to battle against the elements.
They were seen using scarves, plastic bags, handbags, pictures, jackets and broken umbrellas.
The weather had seen cancellations across the country.
Michael Ellis, 31, railed at Newcastle council for cancelling the city’s official fireworks event on the banks of the Tyne.
He said: “Did any of the dingbats working for this wretched council bother to check the weather forecast? Winds due to drop dramatically by 9pm.”
Catherine Hutchinson, of Gateshead, added: “How hard can it be to light a firework fuse?”
Peter McVay said: “It’s a bit of wind and rain — we’re even woke about the weather now.”
And 50,000 were disappointed as events at Edinburgh’s Hogmanay party were cancelled.
American Richard Newton had travelled more than 4,000 miles from Atlanta with his wife and children only to find the Edinburgh bash scrapped.
He said: “We’ve been planning for this for five years. It’s heartbreaking.”
But the display in London did go ahead despite concern beforehand about high winds.
A crowd of 100,000 people who braved the weather cheered fromthe banks of the Thames as Big Ben brought in the new year with its 12 bongs.
More than 12,000 fireworks were set off on river barges and from the foot of the London Eye as millions more watched on television.
Chaotic footage sent to the Sun showed groups of yobs shoving their way through security on Victoria Street just an hour before the iconic fireworks display took place at Embankment.
Revellers then experienced travel chaos as crowds packed into the likes of Waterloo Station – and Oxford Street was locked down after a machete fight left a man with catastrophic injuries.
Crowds of revellers were also tricked into flocking to Centenary Square in Birmingham after social media fraudsters posted about a fake display.
NB PRESS LTDTwo partygoers were all smiles despite the heavy rain[/caption]
NB PRESS LTDA woman uses a plastic bag as a makeshift defence[/caption]
NB PRESS LTDA young woman checks her phone as she shares an umbrella[/caption]
LNPA young woman in Liverpool shelters under her handbag[/caption]
LNPPals hides under a row of plastic bags as they do the can-can[/caption]
LNPA reveller uses her jacket to protect from the rain[/caption]
LNPTwo pals resorted to sacrificing a fancy coat to soak up the rain[/caption]
And as many wake up with sore heads today, the weather woes are continuing.
The Met Office’s yellow warning that covered most of Scotland on New Year’s Eve, causing the capital’s outdoor celebrations to be cancelled, has now been lifted.
However, Inverness, Aberdeenshire and Caithness and Sutherland in the Highlands and Moray are still covered by a Met Office yellow weather warning for snow, which applies until 9am on Thursday.
Regions above 984ft (300m) could see as much as 4in (10cm) of snow, it is predicted.
Communities are being warned to prepare for a risk of flooding by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (Sepa), which issued 32 flood warnings, and nine flood alerts; however, no “severe” flood warnings are active.
The Met Office said: “Rain turning to snow is likely to lead to some travel disruption and difficult driving conditions on New Year’s Day.”
It added: “A band of rain will turn increasingly to snow at low levels as it moves south Wednesday morning, then clearing to snow showers in the afternoon, which will continue overnight and through to Thursday morning.
“1cm-3cm are likely at low levels with 5cm-10cm above 300m, leading to difficult driving conditions and some travel disruption.”
On New Year’s Eve, some parts of Wick in the far north of Scotland were so badly flooded that ScotRail said no rail replacement buses would be running.
A post on X read: “Due to multiple flooding issues along the Far North route, the Wick/Thurso line is now closed for at least the remainder of today. As bus companies have stated that road conditions are too hazardous here, we’re unable to supply bus replacements along this route.”
Trains will resume on January 2, with no services on New Year’s Day.
Despite the cancellation of Edinburgh’s Hogmanay street party and fireworks, which left international tourists who had planned holidays around the events trying to find last-minute alternatives, organisers said New Year’s Eve was a success.
Some events were rearranged to be held indoors, including Australian DJ Hot Dub Time Machine, who was due to perform in Princes Street Gardens but was moved to the Assembly Halls.
A spokesman for Unique Assembly, which organises Edinburgh’s Hogmanay, said: “We were thrilled to be able to keep the party going indoors this year, despite the adverse weather conditions and cancellations facing Edinburgh’s Hogmanay outdoor events.
“It’s been a challenging week for everyone involved – from tourists and locals who planned to ring in the New Year at the famous Street Party, and staff who have been working hard to ensure events can still take place. Thanks to the support of our event partners across the city, we were still able to host celebrations indoors, from ceilidhs to Hot Dub’s non-stop party.
“There’s no better place to ring in the New Year and we’re proud to show the world you can’t stop the party where Edinburgh is concerned.”
Leader of the City of Edinburgh Council, Jane Meagher, said: “I’d like to wish everyone in the Capital a great start to 2025. While this year’s Edinburgh’s Hogmanay celebrations were a little different from usual, with the outdoor events sadly cancelled, it has been a memorable one for local people and visitors to the city alike.
NB PRESS LTDRevellers in Leeds strolling through the rain[/caption]
NB PRESS LTDThe weather failed to put a dampener on many a night out[/caption] Published: [#item_custom_pubDate]
