UK revellers celebrate the arrival of 2023 with fun and fireworks

More than 100,000 people gathered along the Thames Embankment in central London to see in the new year

Fireworks light up the sky over the London Eye and the Elizabeth Tower (Big Ben) in central London during New Year celebrations on January 1, 2023. Photo: PA

Fireworks light up the London skyline over Big Ben and the London Eye just after midnight on January 1, 2023. Getty Images

Fireworks over the London Eye and the Big Ben on January 1, 2023. PA

Big Ben stands silhouetted against the New Year fireworks, with the London Eye in the background, on January 1, 2023. PA

Fireworks light up the sky over the London Eye and Big Ben during New Year celebrations, on January 1, 2023. PA

Fireworks light up the London skyline over Big Ben and the London Eye just after midnight on January 1, 2023 in London, England. Getty Images

Fireworks light up the London skyline over Big Ben and the London Eye just after midnight on January 1, 2023 in London, England. Getty Images

Fireworks light up the London skyline over Big Ben and the London Eye just after midnight on January 1, 2023 in London, England. Getty Images

Fireworks illuminate the Elizabeth Tower, part of the Houses of Parliament, and the London Eye in central London during New Year celebrations, on January 1, 2023. PA via AP

Fireworks light up the sky over Edinburgh Castle and the Balmoral Hotel Clock to mark the New Year, in Edinburgh, Scotland, on January 1, 2023. Reuters

Fireworks explode over Edinburgh Castle during the street party for Hogmanay New Year celebrations in Edinburgh, on December 31, 2022. PA

Fireworks explode over Edinburgh Castle during the street party for Hogmanay New Year celebrations, on January 1, 2023. PA

Fireworks light up the London skyline over Big Ben and the London Eye just after midnight on January 1, 2023. Getty Images

Fireworks illuminate the sky over the Arc de Triomphe during New Year's celebrations on the Champs Elysees avenue in Paris, on January 1, 2023. Reuters

Fireworks illuminate the sky over the Arc de Triomphe during New Year's celebrations in Paris, on January 1, 2023. Reuters

Fireworks illuminate the sky over the Arc de Triomphe during the New Year's celebrations on the Champs Elysees avenue in Paris, on January 1, 2023. Reuters

The Arc de Triomphe building is lit up in blue and a projection of the word 'Paris' as part of New Year's Eve celebrations in Paris on December 31, 2022. AFP

Revellers watch a sound and light show projected on the Arc de Triomphe as they celebrate the New Year on the Champs Elysees, in Paris, on December 31, 2022. AP

Fireworks explode over Berlin's Brandenburg Gate during a New Year's light and music show before midnight on December 31, 2022. AFP

Fireworks explode behind the Brandenburg Gate ahead of the New Year, in Berlin, on December 31, 2022. Reuters

Fireworks explode over Berlin's Brandenburg Gate during a New Year's light and music show before midnight on December 31, 2022. AFP

People watch the facades of houses at Mariahilf illuminated to celebrate the New Year 2023 in Innsbruck, Austria, on December 31, 2022. AFP

Facades of houses at Mariahilf are illuminated to celebrate the New Year 2023 in Innsbruck, Austria, on December 31, 2022. AFP

Hundreds of tourists and citizens attend a water and laser show to celebrate New Year 2023 on the main square in Graz, Austria, on December 31, 2022. AFP

Fireworks illuminate the night sky over Zurich, Switzerland during New Year's Eve celebrations on December 31, 2022. AP

Fireworks illuminate the night sky over Zurich, Switzerland during New Year's Eve celebrations on December 31, 2022. AP

Fireworks explode over the ancient Parthenon temple on top of the Acropolis hill during New Year's Day celebrations, in Athens on January 1, 2023. Reuters

Fireworks illuminate the Athenian sky as the temple of Parthenon sits atop the Acropolis hill during the New Year celebrations on January 1, 2023. EPA

Fireworks explode over the ancient Parthenon temple at the Acropolis hill during New Year celebrations in Athens on January 1, 2023. AP

Fireworks explode over the ancient Parthenon temple at the Acropolis hill during New Year celebrations in Athens on January 1, 2023. AP

Revellers across the UK have ushered in 2023 with fireworks and frivolity.

Despite the Met Office issuing yellow warnings for rain in England’s South West and southern Wales, and warnings for ice and snow across the Scottish Highlands, partygoers defied wet weather to welcome in 2023.

A crowd of more than 100,000 people gathered along the Thames Embankment in central London to see Big Ben chime in the new year and watch 12,000 fireworks streak across the sky.

The sold-out show was designed to send a message of “love and unity”, as it highlighted the Lionesses’ history-making Euro win at Wembley, marked 50 years of London’s Pride with a message from Peter Tatchell from the Gay Liberation Front, and sent a message of support to Ukraine.

The display also paid tribute to the late queen, featuring a voice recording from her and words from Dame Judi Dench, before honouring the King Charles, together with a message from the king about the need to preserve our planet’s future.

Complete with music that included Neil Diamond’s Sweet Caroline, Ukrainian Eurovision winner Kalush Orchestra, and hits from Stormzy, Dua Lipa, Cher, Dave, Rihanna and Calvin Harris, the show concluded with the traditional Auld Lang Syne.

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Mayor of London Sadiq Khan said he was “delighted” that Londoners and visitors could once again join together on the banks of the River Thames to ring in the new year.

Thousands of Metropolitan Police officers were on duty across the capital.

Officers have worked with charity Safer Spaces to build a place in Duncannon Street, central London, for women and girls to go should they feel unsafe.

While other parts of England also celebrated with fireworks, the North Yorkshire seaside town of Scarborough did not.

An Arctic walrus, believed to be “Thor” – who was spotted on the Hampshire coastline earlier this month, arrived in the harbour earlier in the day.

Scarborough Borough Council cancelled the fireworks display on the advice of British Divers Marine Life Rescue after the organisation expressed concerns that it could cause “distress” to the mammal.

In a village further down the coast in East Yorkshire, re-enactors took part in the Flamborough Fire Festival in a Viking-themed parade.

North of the border, people in Edinburgh enjoyed what First Minister Nicola Sturgeon called the “first full Hogmanay celebrations in three years”.

“Thinking back to Hogmanay last year and indeed the year before that, we’re reminded of just how far we have come from the very darkest days of the pandemic,” she said in a New Year’s Eve message on Twitter.

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People queued in the rain to enter the party in Princes Street.

Fireworks lit up the sky behind the city’s castle.

The 80s duo The Pet Shop Boys sang the city into 2023.

More artists rang in the new year with song as Eurovision star Sam Ryder performed hits on BBC One.

In Cardiff, families partied in the city’s Winter Wonderland, while people in Belfast celebrated at Europa Hotel’s annual Gala Ball.

Some of the world has already greeted the new year.

Pacific nation Kiribati was the first country to wave in 2023.

Auckland followed an hour later where huge crowds gathered below the Sky Tower for a countdown that ended in fireworks.

More than one million people flocked to Sydney’s waterfront in Australia as over 7000 fireworks were launched from the top of the Sydney Harbour Bridge and another 2,000 from the Opera House.

Celebrations were also held at the Great Wall in Beijing, while Shanghai Disneyland put on a special fireworks show.

In Ukraine, some soldiers decided to stay in the trenches to defend their country while others returned to Kyiv to spend New Year’s Eve with their loved ones.