Thousands attend London's New Year's Day Parade

More than half a million people lined the streets of central London for the New Year's Day Parade.

The parade, now in its 24th year, covered a two-mile route, starting at Piccadilly at midday and ending in Parliament Street at 1500 GMT.

This year performers marched the route in reverse to give 100 million US TV watchers the best views of London.

The show, which drew the "biggest crowd ever", featured 8,500 performers from 20 countries and 22 London boroughs.