Happy 2011! London sees in the New Year with Eye-catching display on the Thames

By Daily Mail Reporter
Last updated at 6:57 PM on 1st January 2011

• Quarter of a million party-goers congregate at the London Eye
• 77 arrests in London, 2,639 emergency calls made – an increase of 400 per cent on an average night

Hundreds of thousands of revellers took to the streets last night to say goodbye to 2010 and hello to 2011.
Masses of people gathered in London to see in the New Year in front of the London Eye where up to 250,000 people enjoyed the carnival atmosphere.
And festive organisers in Edinburgh hosted around 80,000 partygoers at the Hogmanay street party and festival, which began last night with a torchlight procession along the Royal Mile.

Wow factor: The London Eye formed the centre piece of the capital’s fireworks celebrations where up to 250,000 people enjoyed the carnival atmosphere

Red sky at night: The London Eye sparkles in one of its finest-ever displays

Time to celebrate: Fireworks explode behind the Big Ben clock tower during New Year celebrations

During the early evening, crowds gathered along the banks of the River Thames and spilled into Trafalgar Square and central London.
BBC Radio 1 DJ Nihal hosted the event, drawing cheers from the crowds after the music started at 10pm accompanied by lasers and lights from the Eye.
Onlookers were thrilled by the free show. Peter and Harriet Hughes travelled from Cardiff in Wales to see the firework display with 18-month-old daughter Phoebe.

Mr Hughes, 28, said: ‘It’s amazing. We see it on the TV quite a lot and my wife has never been so we decided to come down. Plus we couldn’t find a baby-sitter.’

First aiders were already out on the streets by 10pm as the party geared up for the midnight climax, while security teams had to ask some high-spirited partygoers to get down from traffic lights along Victoria Embankment.

Throng: Revellers wait on the Embankment along the River Thames for the fireworks

Under a crimson sky: Hogmanay festivities in Edinburgh (left) and Big Ben flanked by the London Eye

Tags: 2010, bank, radio