Wrap up for a freezing start to the new year

NEW Year's Eve partygoers will face freezing conditions in London as the capital experiences one of the coldest starts to winter in 30 years, forecasters warned today.

Half a million revellers are expected to head to the Thames embankment for the New Year fireworks on Wednesday night. But the Met Office warned they would face temperatures of around 2C with an icy north-easterly wind bringing it down to minus 2C.

Forecasters also predicted possible snow flurries later in the week as night-time temperatures hover just below 0C.

Forecaster Stephen Holman said the temperature will drop to 2C in central London by midnight on 31 December and 1C in the suburbs. "By midnight on New Year's Eve it will definitely feel very cold, even if there is not an actual frost, and I would advise people to wrap up warm," he said. "The temperatures will definitely be colder than is usual this time of year."

The programme for fireworks starts at 8pm with music from BBC Radio One. At 11.55pm the countdown to midnight will begin and after the chimes from Big Ben, the fireworks will begin over the London Eye.

Giant screens in Trafalgar Square and Parliament Square will broadcast the display and BBC One will televise the event from 11pm.

Mayor of London Boris Johnson said: "London has some of the best bars, restaurants and hotels in the world. I can think of no better city to spend New Year's Eve and these fireworks will remind Britain and the world of the joys and charms of this city all year round.

"Even these tough economic times cannot detract from the wealth of architecture, culture, gastronomy and people which make London the best city in the world to work, rest and play."

The fireworks have been arranged by pyrotechnician Christophe Berthonneau and sponsored by LG Electronics. Andrew Warner, marketing director of LG Electronics, said people should not be put off by the freezing conditions but come together to see in 2009.

"New Year's Eve is a moment of optimism - when people forget the troubles of last year and celebrate the next," he added.

The Met Office said it was expecting the cold weather to continue into the new year with the predictions for the rest of the week dry with sunny spells and a slight chance of sleet showers.

Mr Holman said the first 13 days of December were the coldest since 1976, with temperatures across Britain averaging 1.7C compared with a long-term average of 4.7C.

Temperatures have plunged again after a brief mild spell over Christmas, with parts of the Scottish Highlands down to -11C yesterday and a maximum in London of 4C. Weathermen say it could reach -13C in some places.

Mr Holman said: "We are expecting it to stay colder than average for the first two weeks of January."

For more information on the New Year's Eve celebrations visit www.london.gov.uk