Fireballs Ceremony

Around 9,000 people packed into the Aberdeenshire town of Stonehaven last night to watch the streets being lit up in flames at the town’s world famous Fireballs Ceremony.

Dozens of participants marched up and down the streets of the Old Town near the harbour swinging brightly lit fiery balls, that lit up the darkness just after the bells rang midnight.

According to legend the annual century-old festival, unique to the town, is supposed to burn off bad spirits from the previous year so the New Year can begin afresh.

And once the blazing parade was finished revellers were treated to a fireworks display to start their 2016 with a bang.