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The Independent UK
The Independent UK
Lifestyle
Reuben Hodson

Watch: London welcomes 2025 with stunning firework spectacle

London greeted the new year with a gigantic 12,000 firework ceremony on the banks of the Thames.

The eleven-minute display began with the message “Your new year is unwritten” and featured music from Sir Elton John, and Charli XCX.

One Direction’s “What Makes You Beautiful” also played in tribute to singer Liam Payne, who tragically died after falling from a hotel balcony on 16 October.

The ceremony defied weather concerns as heavy rain and high winds curtailed celebrations across the country.

The largest cancellation was Edinburgh’s Hogmanay festival, which usually attracts in excess of 50,000 people for street parties, music, and fireworks.

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