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Spectacular fireworks displays from
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Lighting up the sky ... London's firework display

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250,000 for city NYE fireworks

NEW Year revellers are expected to make the most of the mild weather across the UK

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By LAURA CAROE and FRANCESCA PREECE

Published: 31 Dec 2011

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FIREWORKS burst from Big Ben as Britain celebrated the New Year.

The Olympic year went off with a bang in a stunning 11-minute display launched from the London landmark as the clock struck twelve in the capital.
Mayor Boris Johnson called this year's 12,000-firework show, which was inspired by the Olympic Games, "a brilliant start to a brilliant year".
Around 250,000 people came to watch the explosive celebration at the London Eye, which has taken 12 months to plan.

Hog wild time ... Edinburgh's New Year celebrations

REUTERS

In Edinburgh, 80,000 fun-lovers attended the world-famous Hogmanay street party where Primal Scream headed this year's sold-out concert at the castle.

Build-up .... revellers wait on Westminster Bridge ahead of London's New Year fireworks display

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With celebrations in full swing around the UK, click back later on New Year's Day for the nation's best New Year's photos.
Earlier sensational fireworks displays welcomed the New Year in some parts of the world.
Dazzling pyrotechnics lit up the skies over AUCKLAND, New Zealand, and SYDNEY as well as TOKYO.
Millions partied as they were first to say hello to 2012.
The mood was jubilant, despite revellers remembering a year that was marked by upheaval in several Arab countries, economic turmoil and a string of devastating natural disasters.

Boom ... fireworks display over Sydney, Australia

Sydney's display was designed around the theme "A Time to Dream", a nod to the eagerness many felt at moving forward after the rough year Australia has had.
Shapes based on butterflies, hearts and a cascading waterfall lit up the sky over Sydney's Harbour Bridge.
More than 1.5million crowded on to yachts and along the shores of the city's harbour to watch the shimmering display which included 7 tonnes of fireworks.

Video: Sydney heralds start of 2012

AMAZING fireworks display in Australia over famous Harbour Bridge

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In Japan, many were reflecting on the giant tsunami and earthquake that left an entire coastline destroyed, nearly 20,000 people dead or missing and the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant in meltdown.
People visited shrines and temples, offering their prayers for the new year. Giant hanging temple bells were to ring 108 times to purify the world of evil and bring good luck.
More than 400,000 people were expected to watch a four-minute display set to light up Victoria Harbour in HONG KONG.

Celebrations ... revellers cheer as confetti falls in Hong Kong

Video: Hong Kong welcomes 2012

Fireworks explode over Hong Kong's harbor as the clock counts down to 2012

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Spectacular ... fireworks over Sydney's opera house

And fireworks also illuminated the sky over KUALA LUMPUR as Malaysia welcomed 2012.
In TAIPEI a huge countdown ended in a display of fireworks coming off a 101 skyscraper. Hundreds of thousands of people defied cold winds to usher in the New Year.

Flaming tower ... quirky display on skycraper in Taipei

Meanwhile, the mood was more subdued in NEW ZEALAND after torrential rain and thunderstorms cancelled firework displays in the capital Wellington, the North Island city of Palmerston North and at the popular Mount Maunganui beach area.
But crowds gathered around Auckland's Sky Tower, which did hold a fireworks display. The new year is hoped to be a fresh start for the country where tragedy struck last year.

Video: New Zealand rings in new year

CROWDS take to streets of Auckland to watch fireworks over Sky Tower

• Sky News

Two major earthquakes hit Christchurch, killing 181 in February, with another measuring 5.8 on the Richter scale shook the city just before Christmas.
Samoa and Tokelau were first to toast in 2012 after skipping a day by jumping west across the international dateline.

Stunning display ... fireworks explode above Malaysia's landmark Petronas Twin Towers in Kuala Lumpur

Sparkle ... fireworks illuminate the sky over Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Crowds flocked to pools and beaches to toast the New Year earlier than usual after the South Pacific Island nations fast-forwarded to December 31, missing out on December 30 entirely.
More than a million people are expected to pack Times Square in NEW YORK, to watch as the New Year's Eve Ball — measuring 12ft and weighing 11,875lbs partly thanks to 2,688 Waterford crystal triangles adorning it — is dropped at midnight.

Air we go ... balloons rise into the sky as Japan celebrates the New Year

Bad conditions ... New Zealand was hit with heavy rains causing officials to cancel planned celebrations

Lady Gaga, Justin Bieber and Drake will perform – as the ball will descend in a shower of confetti and revellers will grab a partner to dance or kiss.
Revellers are also set to enjoy a stunning spectacular on the beaches of RIO DE JANEIRO.

Times to celebrate ... thousands are expected to gather in Times Square, New York, to watch as the ball drops at midnight

DUBAI and RUSSIA celebrated the start of 2012 together with bursts of colour.

Dazzling ... Dubai's intense fireworks diplay

EPA

New Year's Day is the biggest holiday in the calendar for Russia and the fireworks didn't disappoint in the capital Moscow's Red Square.
Over in Dubai, no expense was spared in the rich Emirate as The Burj Khalifa was lit with fiery reds and pinks to kickstart the New Year.
The tallest tower in the world finished with fireworks in every colour of the rainbow. Dubai last year put on a lavish display which was the highest ever seen.
UKRAINE marked the start of 2012 with a dazzling hot pink firework display in Kiev's Independence Square.
The country has another reason to celebrate; it is the year they co-host football's European Championship with Poland.
The display certainly had a football flavour with a stage designed as a goal and dancing cheerleaders. There was even a mascot in the form of a fluorescent dragon.
Celebrations began earlier in the evening as top Ukrainian singers took to the stage for a four-hour set.

Spectacular ... fireworks in Moscow's Red Square

REUTERS

In Germany a million revellers headed to BERLIN's Brandenburg gate for a dramatic ten-minute display.
Over 2,000 fireworks were used in the capital city's show.

Red sky at night ... Berlin's display held at the Brandenburg Gate