Revellers braved freezing conditions in London to see the New Year fireworks spectacular on the banks of the River Thames, which engulfed the London Eye in a blaze of colour.
An estimated 400,000 people were expected to have lined the embankments to catch the 10-minute salvo, which lit up the misty night sky over the British capital.
Following on from the stunning firework shows at the Beijing Olympics earlier this year, London is keen to prove that it too can put on spectacular displays at public events as it gears up to host the 2012 Games.
In a New Year message beamed onto the Shell building by the London Eye, the city's Mayor Boris Johnson said the global financial crisis was not the end of the world, quoting the iconic movie "Apocalypse Now" to make his point.
Johnson, who took office in May, insisted that the British capital would recover and reassert itself as the "greatest city on earth."
"There are those who say we should look ahead to 2009 with foreboding," he said, in a pre-recorded message.
"I want to quote Colonel Kilgore in 'Apocalypse Now' when he says 'Someday captain, this war is going to end', and someday, this recession is going to end."
In other messages projected onto the building, actress Helen Mirren said she was on the other side of the world but her heart was "with you insane Londoners.
"And you've got to be insane, because I bet it's bloody freezing."
Veteran actor Michael Caine added: "This year I think what we really need is luck, so good luck everybody."
The famous chimes of London's Big Ben not only ushered in the New Year but also the its own 150th anniversary.
Big Ben -- the bell inside the clock tower at the Houses of Parliament -- sounded for the first time on July 11, 1859.
To take into account the extra second added on to the end of 2008 to put the atomic clocks in line with the astronomical day, BBC radio sounded an extra seventh pip leading up to the hour mark.
"It's been a long, hard year for everyone, what with the credit crunch," said Kinga Cieslak, 25, from Poland, who watched the fireworks from the Embankment.
"I think with the New Year, people have the chance to forget about it for a while and have some fun.
"It's good to see so many people out enjoying themselves. Roll on 2009!"
Zsolt Balla, 36, a service engineer from Hungary, said: "It's always good fun to see the London fireworks.
"They were great but I came here three years ago and they were better then -- much bigger. But it was great fun to watch the fireworks with friends."
Source: AFP European Edition
