The UK has celebrated the arrival of 2026 with large firework displays across the country. London’s mayor Sir Sadiq Khan hailed the New Year’s celebrations in the capital as the “greatest in the world” after more than 100,000 people flocked to the banks of the River Thames to see the firework display. The 12-minute show started with the familiar sounds of Big Ben’s chimes, before more than 12,000 fireworks and 400 lights illuminated the night sky around the London Eye. Image: The fireworks show in London involved more than 120,00 fireworks and 400 lights. Pic: PA Feats like England’s Women’s Rugby World Cup win, the Lionesses’ retention of the Euros, and Europe’s Ryder Cup win were celebrated in the display. The show also featured references to the UK’s hottest summer on record, the film Wicked: For Good, and a social media meme reminding Britons to enjoy a cup of tea. A soundtrack including tracks by Raye, Sabrina Carpenter, Ed Sheeran and Coldplay, and voiceovers from celebrities like Celia Imrie, Andrew Cotter and Alison Hammond, accompanied …