Hundreds of thousands of people have lined the streets of London for a parade to mark the start of the new year.
Some 8,500 cheerleaders, marching band musicians and acrobats from across the world danced down Whitehall for the annual New Year's Day Parade.
The parade kept going through lunchtime as heavy rain started to fall.
Many spectators were undeterred and held their umbrellas as they continued to cheer the marching bands.
The event - now in its 31st year - also featured characters from blockbuster films as the theme of the day was Lights, Camera, Action.
The parade saw Disney characters mix with the music of famous musicals like Baz Luhrmann's Moulin Rouge and the Broadway hit Annie.
The theme tunes for Ghostbusters, the James Bond film Skyfall and the Harry Potter series were also played.
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Parade spokesman Dan Kirkby said it was a "kaleidoscopic" celebration that had grown and revolutionised London's former "black hole of culture" on 1 January.
"We reckon we have about 20 different nations represented," he said.
"From Bolivia through to the US, and we've got Pakistan celebrating the 70th anniversary of the state of Pakistan," he added.
He added: "It's quintessentially quirky, the very best of British meets people from all over the world."
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