London: A breathtaking display of fireworks lit up London's night sky as huge crowds descended on the Capital for the arrival of 2015.
Revellers watched on as a giant clock, illuminated on the side of London's Shard skyscraper, counted down to midnight triggering wild celebrations across Britain.
According to the Daily Mail report, the New Year started with a bang as an explosion of light from some 12,000 fireworks - weighing a combined 15 tons - filled the sky above London's South Bank - including spectacular blasts from the frame of the London Eye.
The 11-minute display, which is said to have cost £1.8million and was accompanied by an electronic soundtrack, featured a poignant commemoration of the centenary of the First World War with bursts of red fireworks representing poppies.
It comes as millions around the world have welcomed in 2015 with a series of spectacular fireworks displays.
In Sydney, Australia, an estimated 1.6million people turn ed up to watch more than 10,000 aerial fireworks, 25,000 shooting comets and 100,000 pyrotechnic effects on show during this year's New Year's Eve display over Harbour Bridge and the Opera House.
But tragedy struck in Shanghai, China where 35 people were killed in a stampede during New Year's celebrations. Another 42 people were reportedly injured amid the chaos about a half-hour before midnight.
Revellers lined the River Thames for a fireworks display timed to the midnight bongs of Big Ben, Parliament's famous bell.
Unlike last year, when about 500,000 people crammed into part of the city to view the display, just 100,000 paying ticket holders were permitted to watch the city’s annual celebration from a fenced-off area at a cost of £10 per ticket.
Celebrations to mark the start of 2015 have taken place around the world, with firework displays in a host of major cities.
According to the BBC report, the New Zealand led the way, with Sydney Harbour providing a spectacular backdrop to Australia's display.
There was shock in Asia as a crush in Shanghai, China saw 35 people die marking the start of 2015.
The Gulf Arab emirate of Dubai aimed to break the world record for the largest LED-illuminated facade.
It launched its spectacular display centred on the world's tallest building.
Thousands of people celebrated in New York's Times Square for the city's annual New Year's Eve festivities, but this year security was tight as a protest took place nearby against police use of force and the state of race relations in the country.
Europe's celebrations began in Moscow with fireworks over St Basil's Cathedral and the Kremlin.
In Berlin a huge open air concert was held in front of the Brandenburg Gate, while in Paris the Champs-Elysees was closed to traffic so that pedestrians could witness a visual spectacle projected onto the Arc de Triomphe 15 minutes before the start of the new year.
The arrival of 2015 was also significant for Lithuania as it became the 19th country to join the euro currency.
In Spain, millions of revellers converged around Madrid's Puerta del Sol, while in Barcelona, London and Edinburgh huge fireworks displays or street parties were held.
Up to 1.5m people lined the shores of Sydney harbour to see the city's famous firework display.
The city's Lord Mayor, Clover Moore, said the recent hostage crisis in the city had focussed the minds of Sydney residents.
Celebration plans were muted in Indonesia in the wake of the recent AirAsia Flight QZ8501 crash.
But across the rest of Asia there were lavish parties, with a sound and light show at Beijing's Olympic stadium and an eight-minute firework display in Hong Kong.
"I think a more peaceful year would be good for everyone," Louis Ho, 65, told AFP news agency, as the territory bade farewell to a year that saw widespread street protests.
Moscow's display led the way in Europe, with President Vladimir Putin describing the 2014 annexation of Crimea as "a historic landmark" for Russia.
Mr Putin also sent messages to several world leaders, telling US President Barack Obama that the US and Russia had a shared interest in "maintaining peace and international stability".
In Brazil, more than one million people gathered on Rio de Janeiro's Copacabana beach, while the Pacific Islands just to the west of the international date line were the first places to herald the new year.
