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. The parade went through Piccadilly, Regents Street St James’s, Pall Mall, Trafalgar Square and Whitehall.
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 took part, parade spokesman Dan Kirkby said.
He said: “It is windy and rainy. I am sure people understand we have had to start later due to the conditions but safety is paramount and we have had to wait until the experts tell us it is safe to go.
“It means that the inflatable cartoon characters will not be seen passing London’s landmarks on the route.
“We have to think of the performers taking part and the people who have come out to watch as we kick off the new year in style.”
London, like much of England and Wales, was covered by a yellow wind warning until 3pm from the Met Office, which forecast the squally cold front and a band of heavy rain that hit the event.
Byron Villis, 16, who was on a trip to London with his mother Nina from their home in Bristol, said he was having fun.
He said: “The big floats that come along with the music add to the atmosphere.
“The people who are performing and have organised this have already done the hard bit. We are just standing here. It is fun.”
His mother said: “These kinds of things take so much effort and forethought that not to come feels a little disrespectful.
“I think we owe it to them to come, stand around in the rain and enjoy their efforts.
“We have got our ponchos and we are fine. There is a lot of energy.”
Housing concierge Gary Harris, 55, of Croydon, south London, said: “I just came down here to support the parade in the rain.
“There are so many who have come from so far that I felt I had to. I have come three years on the bounce to this. I knew it was going to rain but felt it was important to support it.”
Helene Dahlin, 21, and Emma Jorgensen, 19, both of Herning, Denmark, decided to see the parade as part of their Christmas trip to London.
Ms Jorgensen said: “We came to see it as it is very different to back home. In Denmark, people would be hungover today. It is good to see people have come out.”
Ms Dahlin added: “There is a lot of good energy when the music is playing. It is very wet but it is fun.”
See below for pictures of the parade.