More snow and ice is forecast across swathes of the UK on Thursday, as an NHS board warned people to avoid going outside in the early morning and late at night when conditions are more hazardous.
Two new Met Office weather warnings – in northeast Scotland, and in parts of Scotland, England and in Northern Ireland – came into force on Thursday afternoon, with Britons told to expect icy conditions and delays to their journeys until at least Friday morning.
A three-day yellow snow warning will soon follow, as most of England, southern Scotland and all of Wales are told to brace for snow from noon on Saturday until Monday morning.
Travel delays and power cuts are likely in the most affected areas of the Midlands, Wales and northern England, which could see anything between 5cm and 30cm of snow.
Warning of the potential for slips and falls, the NHS Black Country integrated care board said: “Avoid going out early when the frost is thick or late at night when it’s dark.”
It comes as devastating scenes of flooding were seen in Manchester on New Year’s Day, with Greater Manchester Police declaring a major incident.
Key Points
- NHS warning to avoid going out in morning and night amid freezing conditions
- New Met Office snow and ice warnings issued for Thursday
- Snow alerts in force for much of UK over weekend
- Major incident declared by Manchester police amid flooding
Full list of weather warnings as Britons told to brace for freezing weather
15:43
Athena Stavrou
The Met Office has issued four weather warnings in the coming days as the UK welcomes in 2025 with a cold snap.
The forecasters have told Britons to prepare for freezing temperatures, ice and up to 30cm of snow over the weekend.
• Thursday 4pm to Friday 10am: Yellow snow and ice warning for northeast Scotland.
• Thursday 5pm to Friday 10am: Yellow ice warning for northwest Scotland, northwest England and parts of Northern Ireland.
• Saturday 12pm to Monday 9am: Yellow snow warning for most of England, southern Scotland and all of Wales.
• Sunday 12am to Monday 12pm: Yellow snow warning for most of Scotland.
NHS board issues warning to avoid going out in morning and night amid freezing conditions
18:28
Andy Gregory
An NHS board has warned people to avoid going outside in the early morning and late at night when conditions are more hazardous.
Warning of the potential for slips and falls, the NHS Black Country integrated care board said: “Avoid going out early when the frost is thick or late at night when it’s dark.”
The body previously issued the same warning during freezing weather in November.
Slips, trips and falls become more likely during icy weather conditions, so it’s important to be mindful of the weather before setting off.
— NHS Black Country Integrated Care Board (ICB) (@NHSinBlkCountry) January 2, 2025
Keep your hands free
Wear shoes with good grip
❄️ Avoid going out early when the frost is thick or late at night when it’s dark. pic.twitter.com/fb1NtZVRHO
Drivers navigate flooded roads near Leeds
18:00
Athena Stavrou
Lows of minus 8C expected tonight
16:42
Athena Stavrou
Temperatures could fall as low as minus 8C on Thursday night in rural southern Scotland and northern England, the Met Office said.
It will also be cold in rural Wales and the south west of England with minus 6C expected.
There are two yellow weather warnings in place across Scotland tonight, with more to come into place across the country on Saturday.
Cold snap ‘could put elderly at risk of death’ as fuel payments cap criticised
16:14
Athena Stavrou
An imminent cold snap could put the elderly at risk of death, the UK Health Security Agency has warned, as a charity criticised the Government’s decision to limit winter fuel payments.
The UKHSA has issued cold weather health amber alerts from 12pm on Thursday until January 8 meaning a rise in deaths, particularly among those aged 65 and over or with health conditions, is likely.
Age UK director Caroline Abrahams said the Government’s decision to limit the winter fuel allowance to only the poorest pensioners will be put “into sharp relief” by the cold snap.
Ms Abrahams said the charity had already been contacted by older people “worrying about what to do when this moment arrived”.
From this winter, only people on pension credit or certain other benefits will receive the winter fuel payments while more than nine million others are set to be stripped of the allowance.
“We urge older people to do everything they can to stay warm, even if that means risking spending more on their heating than they feel they can afford,” the charity director said. “The energy companies are under an obligation to help if you are struggling and there may be support available from your local council too.”
Major flooding incident stood down in Manchester
15:22
Athena Stavrou
A major incident has been stood down after flooding which saw almost 1,000 people evacuated.
Fire crews in Greater Manchester attended more than 100 incidents as a result of the flooding, caused by heavy rain through New Year’s Eve and into New Year’s Day.
In neighbouring Cheshire, the Bridgewater Canal breached its banks when an aqueduct was damaged during the rainfall.
In a joint update on Thursday, Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service (GMFRS), Greater Manchester Police (GMP) and Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) said there had been no reports of injuries and they were now focussing on recovery efforts.
The major incident was declared at 4am on New Year’s Day and mountain rescue teams were deployed to help.
Chief Fire Officer Dave Russel said: “The flooding on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day caused considerable damage and disruption across Greater Manchester. We have evacuated nearly 1,000 people, half of them on boats, and many from flooded homes.
“Over the past 36 hours, fire crews have worked tirelessly to keep people safe alongside Greater Manchester Police, North West Ambulance Service, Mountain Rescue, local councils and a range of partners. I’d like to thank everyone involved in the response for their hard work and dedication.”
Pictured: Flooding in Manchester which saw 1,000 evacuated
15:24
Athena Stavrou
2024 provisionally fourth warmest year on record for the UK
15:06
Athena Stavrou
2024 was provisionally the fourth warmest year on record for the UK, according to the Met Office.
With a mean temperature of 9.78C it follows 2022, 2023 and 2014 as provisionally the fourth warmest year for the UK according to mean temperature in a series from 1884.
All top 10 warmest years according to mean temperature have been since the year 2000, with five in the most recent decade 2015-2024.
Every year of the most recent decade has been warmer than the 1991-2020 long-term average.
Met Office Senior Scientist Mike Kendon said: “2024 has been another year with minimum temperatures well above average. We have experienced some particularly mild nights and far fewer frosts than normal, particularly in February and December.”
Watch: Drone footage shows collapsed Cheshire canal bank
14:48
Athena Stavrou
How much snow is expected over weekend?
14:12
Athena Stavrou
About 5cm of snow is expected widely across the Midlands, Wales and northern England, the Met Office has said.
As much as 20-30cm could be seen over high ground in Wales and/or the Pennines, the forecaster added.
Northern lights seen over Derwentwater, near Keswick in Cumbria.
13:45
Athena Stavrou
Extreme flooding as banks of canal collapse
13:09
Athena Stavrou
Devastating flooding has been seen in Cheshire after the banks of a canal collapsed on New Year’s Day.
The region was hit with heavy rain overnight, with Greater Manchester police declaring a major incident due to flooding.
Images from near the billage of Little Bollington showed fields being completely flooded by water from the Bridgewater Canal after its banks collapsed.
Where are weather warnings in place for today?
12:40
Athena Stavrou
The Met Office has issued two fresh weather warnings for Thursday afternoon, as more ice and snow is expected in the UK.
The first warning for snow and ice will come into place at 4pm on Thursday for northeast Scotland, while the second yellow warning for ice will begin at 5pm across northwest Scotland, northwest England and parts of Northern Ireland.
Both warnings are expected to expire at 10am on Friday.
Snow falls in Allenheads, Northumberland
12:07
Athena Stavrou
Fresh snow warning into next week
11:57
Athena Stavrou
The Met Office has issued another warning for snow into next week.
The yellow warning, covering most of Scotland, will come into place at midnight on Sunday and remain until midday on Monday.
There is another warning for snow in place from Saturday at noon until Monday at 9am for most of England, southern Scotland and all of Wales.
⚠️ Yellow weather warning issued ⚠️
— Met Office (@metoffice) January 2, 2025
Snow across Scotland
Sunday 0000 – Monday 1200
Latest info https://t.co/QwDLMfRBfs
Stay #WeatherAware⚠️ pic.twitter.com/j3dWjGD0wf
New weather warnings issued for today
11:28
Athena Stavrou
The Met Office has issued two fresh weather warnings for Thursday afternoon, as more ice and snow is expected in the UK.
The first warning for snow and ice will come into place at 4pm on Thursday for northeast Scotland, while the second yellow warning for ice will begin at 5pm across northwest Scotland, northwest England and parts of Northern Ireland.
Both warnings are expected to expire at 10am on Friday.
People in areas affected have been told to expect longer journey times and some icy patches on some untreated roads, pavements and cycle paths.
11:09
Athena Stavrou
Britons wanting to travel home after the New Year have been warned to expect travel disruptions on Thursday, as icy weather grips the UK.
For those who intend to travel despite the current wintry weather, both the Met Office and National Rail issued alerts to remind Britons to plan ahead if on the move.
Difficult driving conditions should be expected, particularly within areas under a yellow weather warning. Allowing extra time is also advised, with delays, diversions, or hampered conditions likely for road users.
For those using public transport, passengers are advised to check any timetables and services before setting out in case of delays or cancellations due to inclement weather.
As per National Rail, the poor weather will impact trains running across Great Britain, with Northern services, TransPennine Express services, Transport for Wales services and ScotRail services all impacted.
Snow mapped: Where freezing weather will hit UK this weekend with 20-30cm blanket forecast
10:38
Athena Stavrou
A three-day snow warning has been issued by the Met Office for much of Britain, with temperatures set to plunge for the first weekend of 2025.
Around 5cm of snow is expected to fall widely across swathes of the Midlands, Wales and northern England, with as much as 20-30cm over high ground in Wales or the Pennines.
The forecasters warned that some could experience power cuts during the 45 hour alert beginning on Saturday, while there is a slight chance that some rural communities could also become cut off.
See where snow is due to fall here:
Weather warnings ends
10:10
Athena Stavrou
Two weather warnings that were in place this morning have now expired.
One yellow warning for ice covering all of northern England, Northern Ireland, northern Wales, and much of Scotland expired at 10am on Thursday, alongside another for snow and ice has been issued for northern Scotland.
The next weather warning will come into place on Saturday and remain until Monday morning, with most of England being warned to expect snow.
Snow falls in Aberdeen
09:32
Athena Stavrou
Over 100 flood warnings and alerts in place
08:56
Athena Stavrou
There are currently 124 flood warnings and alerts in place across England, Scotland and Wales.
In England, there are currently 24 warnings and 70 less severe alerts in place.
In Scotland there are 11 warnings and four alerts in place while in Wales there are four warnings 11 alerts in place.
Extreme flooding as banks of canal collapse
08:34
Athena Stavrou
Devastating flooding has been seen in Cheshire after the banks of a canal collapsed on New Year’s Day.
The region was hit with heavy rain overnight, with Greater Manchester police declaring a major incident due to flooding.
Footage from near the billage of Little Bollington showed fields being completely flooded by water from the Bridgewater Canal after its banks collapsed.
What weather warnings are in place today?
07:55
Athena Stavrou
There is currently a yellow ice warning in place covering all of northern England, Northern Ireland, northern Wales, and much of Scotland until 10am on Thursday.
The Met Office has warned people to look out for some icy patches on some untreated roads, pavements and cycle paths
A yellow warning for snow and ice has been issued for northern Scotland for the same time period.
Forecast for today
07:37
Athena Stavrou
Thursday is expected to feel much colder than the last few days, the Met Office has said as the New Year brings in a “cold snap” across the country.
The forecasters said it will be a cold but mostly sunny day across the UK, with wintry showers expected for coasts exposed to the northerly breeze and North Sea. It will remain blustery in the north and east with lighter winds elsewhere.
Tnought, a cold and frosty night will follow for all with icy stretches possible. Wintry showers will persist in the north and patchy freezing fog is possible in the west.
In pictures: Crowds turn out for New Year’s Day parade in London despite bad weather
07:00
Tara Cobham
Recap: Watch as London defies weather with spectacular fireworks display to ring in 2025
06:00
Tara Cobham
Statement from Greater Manchester Police on flooding
05:00
Tara Cobham
On Wednesday evening, Chief Superintendent Colette Rose said: “We are continuing to monitor the whole of Greater Manchester as we look to co-ordinate the emergency response involving a variety of services.
“Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service have been key to this to ensure we can keep those people and communities safe after the severe weather we have had.
“Thankfully, due to the efforts of all involved so far no one has been seriously injured or come to harm and would like to thank members of the public for their continued co-operation especially around the road closures in place and looking out for each other.
“Anyone still affected should continue to check the relevant detail being shared by their local council, the fire service and Transport for Greater Manchester to ensure they can get the support available that may be needed.”
Full story: Major incident declared as flooding hits parts of UK following heavy rainfall
04:00
Tara Cobham
A major incident has been declared in Greater Manchester after flooding forced homes to be evacuated and closed train lines and roads following heavy rain.
Hundreds of people were set to be evacuated from their homes on Wednesday, Greater Manchester Police said.
The major incident had been declared as mountain rescue teams have been deployed to help Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service deal with damaged properties and stranded vehicles, the police force added.
Read the full story here:
Full story: Three-day snow warning as UK starts 2025 with heavy rain, flood alerts and a major incident
03:00
Tara Cobham
A three-day snow warning has been issued for much of Britain, with temperatures set to plunge this weekend – bringing misery to areas already hit by flooding in the wake of high winds and torrential rain.
Britain began the new year with weather alerts in place across large swathes of the country, including more than 170 flood warnings in England, Scotland and Wales.
A yellow warning is in place from noon on Saturday until 9am on Monday and covers all regions of England except the South West, the majority of Wales and parts of southern Scotland.
Read the full story here:
How much snow is expected over weekend
02:00
Tara Cobham
About 5cm of snow is expected widely across the Midlands, Wales and northern England, the Met Office has said.
As much as 20-30cm could be seen over high ground in Wales and/or the Pennines, the forecaster added.
What weather warnings have been issued by Met Office across UK
01:00
Tara Cobham
- A yellow warning for snow and ice is in place covering northern Scotland until 10am on Thursday, as rain turning to snow is likely to lead to some travel disruption and difficult driving conditions, the Met Office said.
- Meanwhile, a yellow warning for ice has been issued from 4pm on Wednesday until 10am on Thursday, covering Northern Ireland, parts of North Wales, England and Scotland, which could also lead to difficult travel conditions.
- And a three-day yellow warning for snow has been issued for almost all of England and Wales and parts of Scotland this weekend as the Met Office warned that rural communities could become cut off. The yellow warning is in place from noon on Saturday until 9am on Monday and covers all regions of England other than the South West, the majority of Wales and parts of southern Scotland.
‘Significant’ flooding possible across parts of north England, warns EA
00:00
Tara Cobham
“Significant inland flooding” is possible after “heavy and persistent rain” and river levels will remain high across parts of the north of England until Thursday, according to a flood duty manager at the Environment Agency.
Ben Lukey said: “Environment Agency teams will be out on the ground, operating flood defences, taking action to reduce the impact of flooding, issuing flood warnings and supporting those communities affected.
“We advise anyone travelling or out celebrating the new year to be especially careful and urge people to stay away from swollen rivers and not to drive through floodwater as just 30cm of flowing water is enough to move your car.”
Watch: Flooding brings travel disruption at start of new year
Wednesday 1 January 2025 23:09
Tara Cobham
Some parts of North West saw almost a month’s worth of rain within 48 hours
Wednesday 1 January 2025 22:16
Tara Cobham
Some parts of the North West saw almost a month’s worth of rain within 48 hours, according to the Met Office.
And that was before the North West and Wales were lashed by more heavy rain on Wednesday.
Honister Pass in Cumbria saw nearly 6in (150mm) of rain, while Rochdale in Greater Manchester had 3in (77mm).
Met Office forecasts sunny morning for many across UK
Wednesday 1 January 2025 21:22
Tara Cobham
The Met Office has forecast a sunny morning for many across the UK.
Writing on X, the weather service said: “Thursday morning will start frosty, though clear or sunny for many
“Some ice and wintry showers, especially in the north.”
Thursday morning will start frosty, though clear or sunny for many
— Met Office (@metoffice) January 1, 2025
Some ice and wintry showers, especially in the north pic.twitter.com/OGa560u7GB
Extra night on holiday for hundreds of British Airways passengers after planes ‘go tech’
Wednesday 1 January 2025 21:20
Travel correspondent Simon Calder
Several hundred British Airways passengers expecting to depart on their flights back to London Gatwick on New Year’s Day have enjoyed extended holidays at the airline’s expense. They can also look forward to hundreds of pounds in compensation, as the hold-ups were due to technical faults on BA’s Boeing 777 aircraft.
The first problem arose on New Year’s Eve, when BA2065 from Gatwick to Mauritius “went technical”. Departure for the Indian Ocean island was delayed by 24 hours.
Holidaymakers in Mauritius were due to fly back on the aircraft at 9.10pm on New Year’s Day. But the plane was still on the ground at Gatwick.
British Airways says the flight will now leave Mauritius at 12.15pm on 2 January, 15 hours behind schedule. Passengers will get an extra night on the island.
Conversely, though, passengers on the outbound flight spent 24 hours at hotels in the Gatwick area, shortening their holidays by a day.
The New Year’s Day British Airways flight from Gatwick to Orlando in Florida was cancelled because of another technical fault. Passengers must be found space on alternative flights, but many are likely to have to change planes
All travellers on either leg of the grounded flights are entitled to £520 under air passengers’ rights rules. British Airways must pay for additional hotel nights and meals.
People who are on package holidays and who lose a day of the trip because of being stuck at Gatwick should also be able to claim a pro-rata refund of the cost of their trip.
Severe Weather Emergency Protocol activated in Bristol for homeless
Wednesday 1 January 2025 20:40
Tara Cobham
In Bristol, the Severe Weather Emergency Protocol has been activated by Bristol City Council and homeless charity St Mungo’s.
Running until 8 January, it will see increased outreach shifts and more accommodation made available, with the aim of ensuring nobody has to sleep on the streets during such extreme weather conditions.
Manchester lashed with 70 to 80mm of rain, according to professor’s rain gauge
Wednesday 1 January 2025 20:20
Tara Cobham
A geography professor said they have had 70 to 80mm of rain in the Greater Manchester region after measuring it on a rain gauge at his home.
Tom Coulthard, who works at the University of Hull from Didsbury, south Manchester, said: “It started raining heavily at about 5 or 6pm on Tuesday evening, and then it just rained hard all night.
“All the local rivers and water courses have sort of filled up and flooded around the area.
“All around this part of south Manchester, Cheadle, bits of Cheshire, there’s been local flooding. Roads closed. The motorway was closed, the M60, the M56 to Manchester Airport, that was all closed off.
“The last record level was set in Didsbury in February 2022, these record levels in the rivers around here are tumbling every year or every couple of years.
“That’s really probably a sign of just how our weather is changing, how climate is shifting this.
“This is in line with all sorts of the predictions that people in my profession have been talking about for 20 years or more, the impacts of climate change will be sort of warmer, wetter winters.”
Floods minister meets officials to ensure communities hit by flooding get support
Wednesday 1 January 2025 20:00
Tara Cobham
Floods minister Emma Hardy said she met officials from the Environment Agency on Wednesday to “ensure that impacted communities are receiving the necessary support” and added she wants to “express my heartfelt thanks for the vital work that the Environment Agency and emergency services are doing to keep people safe”.
She added: “The government is working at pace to accelerate the building of flood defences through our new Floods Resilience Taskforce, so we can continue to protect people and their homes.”
Met Office’s UK forecast for tomorrow
Wednesday 1 January 2025 19:40
Tara Cobham
Here's a more in depth look at tomorrow's 4cast pic.twitter.com/tbu1mSU1TG
— Met Office (@metoffice) January 1, 2025
EasyJet passengers experience double ‘go-around’ at Gatwick
Wednesday 1 January 2025 19:20
Travel correspondent Simon Calder
Gatwick, the busiest single-runway airport in the world, has had two diversions of arriving aircraft on New Year’s Day.
An easyJet flight from Edinburgh to the Sussex airport was unable to land early in the morning and diverted to Stansted. The Airbus waited on the ground at the Essex airport before flying back to Gatwick and landing successfully.
Passengers on easyJet’s morning flight from Copenhagen were not so lucky. The aircraft was initially on course for an on-time arrival, but when 50 miles east of Gatwick it entered a holding pattern – and, a few minutes later, a second hold.
The first attempt at landing was aborted when the aircraft was at a height of 575 feet. The aircraft was immediately vectored for a second attempt, but the pilots made a second “go-around” at 800 feet, according to data from Flightradar24.
Safety was never compromised, and the aircraft flew on to Stansted, where it landed 70 minutes later than its scheduled arrival at Gatwick.
Where motorways and roads are closed due to flooding across UK
Wednesday 1 January 2025 19:02
Tara Cobham
Motorways and roads across the country are partly closed due to flooding.
National Highways reports there are currently severe incidents as a result of closures due to flooding at:
- The A628 eastbound between the A57 and the junction with the A616
- Two lanes of the The M56 westbound entry slip at junction J6
- The M62 westbound entry slip at junction J24
- The A628 westbound between the A616 and the junction with the A57
- The M53 southbound
- The M56 westbound between junctions J6 and J8
- The M60 anticlockwise
Met Office’s forecast for New Year’s Day evening
Wednesday 1 January 2025 18:45
Tara Cobham
The Met Office has forecast rain before plunging temperatures and icy conditions overnight.
In a post on social media this evening, the forecaster said: “Rain in the south and southeast gradually clearing this evening.
“Clear spells following behind with wintry showers in areas exposed to the northerly breeze.
“Turning rather cold with frost and ice forming overnight.”
Rain in the south and southeast gradually clearing this evening ☔
— Met Office (@metoffice) January 1, 2025
Clear spells following behind with wintry showers in areas exposed to the northerly breeze ❄️
Turning rather cold with frost and ice forming overnight
Stay #WeatherAware ⚠️ pic.twitter.com/51CeE3vsEP
Crawley-Charlton clash postponed as wet weather hits football fixtures
Wednesday 1 January 2025 18:20
Tara Cobham
Charlton’s Sky Bet League One visit to Crawley on New Year’s Day was postponed close to kick-off due to a waterlogged pitch.
Crawley said at 2.15pm that the referee was taking another look at the condition of the pitch with rain falling heavily in West Sussex.
Both clubs announced on social media at 2.40pm that the sell-out fixture had been called off.
“Unfortunately, this afternoon’s match against Charlton has been postponed owing to a waterlogged pitch at the Broadfield Stadium,” Crawley said on their X account.
“We apologise for any inconvenience caused and will be back in touch with more communication regarding tickets in due course.”
Addicks manager Nathan Jones told CharltonTV: “We’re disappointed, we would like to have played it for every reason.
“One end of the pitch was good and it surprised us it was off. The referee made the decision the bottom end of the pitch wasn’t playable.
“To be fair to the referee he gave it every opportunity and said it was only going to get worse. He said if he couldn’t finish it he was very reluctant to start it.”
Unfortunately, this afternoon’s match against Charlton has been postponed owing to a waterlogged pitch at the Broadfield Stadium.
— Crawley Town FC (@crawleytown) January 1, 2025
We apologise for any inconvenience caused and will be back in touch with more communication regarding tickets in due course.#TownTeamTogether
Full story: Three day snow warning as UK starts 2025 with heavy rain, flood alerts and a major incident
Wednesday 1 January 2025 18:00
Tara Cobham
Britain has rung in the New Year with heavy downpours and severe flooding with significant snowfall expected this weekend as the temperature is set to plummet in the first week of 2025.
A number of Met Office alerts are in place across large swathes of the UK and more than 170 flood warnings have been put in place across England, Scotland and Wales.
A three-day snow warning has been issued for almost all of England and Wales and parts of Scotland this weekend as the Met Office has warned rural communities could become cut off.
Read the full story here:
More than 180 flood warnings and alerts issued across UK
Wednesday 1 January 2025 17:40
Tara Cobham
More than 180 flood warnings and alerts have been issued across the UK.
The Environment Agency (EA) currently has in place 53 flood warnings, where flooding is expected, and 90 flood alerts, where flooding is possible, across England.
Meanwhile, the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) has issued 15 flood warnings and four flood alerts in Scotland as of Wednesday evening
And Natural Resources Wales has in place seven flood warnings and 17 flood alerts across Wales.
Revellers brave wind, rain and grey skies to watch New Year’s Day Parade
Wednesday 1 January 2025 17:30
Tara Cobham
A loud bang, a burst of red, white and blue confetti and lots of cheering marked the start of the rain-soaked and delayed London New Year’s Day Parade.
Hundreds of umbrellas went up at the time the parade, which was delayed by 30 minutes, was due to begin as a heavy downpour drenched revellers. They were greeted by strong gusts, grey skies, rain and a chill in the air plus bagpipers who powered through their playlists despite the bad weather.
Brass bands and bagpipers kicked off the festivities, soon followed by a guitar band who sang the Beatles’ Yellow Submarine.
DJs, who were dressed in plastic hooded raincoats, blasted the sunny party sounds of calypso from an open-top bus and a cheerleading troupe put on a show.
More than 10,000 performers from across the globe, including singer Peter Andre, took part in the parade which covered a two-mile route through London’s West End.
The “more than frisky” wind conditions, which meant no inflatable cartoon characters could be used, had been a safety concern, according to parade spokesman Dan Kirkby.
He said: “Hundreds of thousands of people turned up. I would suggest it is one of the best parades we have ever had, particularly given the conditions. We showed a little stiff upper lip.”
Mr Kirkby added: “It has all been a moment of wonderment and a point in time where the world could see that London is a city with people of all cultures, has a sense of humour about itself and has a terrific spirit.”
Pictured: Man trapped in car amid flooding in north west
Wednesday 1 January 2025 17:10
