Published 17:21 IST, December 31st 2019
UK police issues warning as country prepares to usher in 2020
London Police has issued warning for the public as the city prepares to celebrate New Year 2020. People are asked to not go to River Thames without a ticket.
As London prepares to welcome the new year, the city police have advised the public not to attend New Year celebrations on the River Thames without a ticket. As per reports, over 1,00,000 tickets have been bought for the zero hour fireworks display. Those without tickets have been asked to watch from home or attend other events in the city.
Hours before the clock strikes midnight, the Met told in a statement to the media that they wish everyone who comes to London for New Year's Eve to have a good time.
London gears up for New Year
Reports suggest that at least 12,000 fireworks are set to light up when the year ends. Of that, 2,000 of the fireworks will be fired from the London Eye, with the remainder coming from barges that will be moored in a central location along the River Thames. Big Ben too will chime at midnight although it was under repair.
At the same time, the Mayor of London Sadiq Khan told the media that the city will celebrate it's key role in hosting several key games in the Euro 2020 football championship.
New Year celebrations in rest of the UK
London, cities like Manchester, Cardiff, Newcastle, Inverness, and Nottingham are also set to hold large pyrotechnics shows. Celebrations have already begun in Edinburgh with thousands taking part in a pre-Hogmanay torchlight procession on Monday evening. Crowds reportedly created a huge "be together" symbol of two people reaching out a hand in friendship in a display of fine art in Holyrood Park in the city. Thousands are expected to attend a Hogmanay street party featuring acts including Mark Ronson, Marc Almond, and Idlewild in the New Year's Eve.
Weather forecast
As far as the weather goes, the evening is set to be cold but dry for many, with temperatures in Scotland and parts of northern England forecast to be around 1C (33.8F) or 2C (35.6F), according to the Met Office. The remaining will likely to feel the mercury fall to around 5C (41F). There could be drizzles in parts of central England on Tuesday evening while there may also be patches of fog appearing across the UK, according to Met Office forecaster Greg Dewhurst. The visibility will be poor in London or Edinburgh, he added.
Updated 17:21 IST, December 31st 2019