London has bid farewell to 2020 with a futuristic drone display, which highlighted key moments from the year the pandemic changed the world.
The pre-recorded display, which was filmed during the early hours of Tuesday, saw the NHS enclosed in a heart, the Black Lives Matter fist raised into the air and Sir Captain Tom Moore’s silhouette created out of light.
In a nod to some of 2020’s failures, the drones also poked fun at the year’s endless Zoom calls with words ‘you’re on mute’ above the giant image of a microphone turned off.
The 10-minute show used more than 300 drones which were flown around the Millenium Dome in the absence of the capital’s annual firework display. Last year, more than 100,000 people gathered around Victoria Embankment for the New Year’s Eve tradition.
This year’s display was cancelled due to the virus, with three-quarters of England currently in tier four, which prevents people from leaving their homes unless for exercise, work or education purposes.
Elsewhere in the UK, large fireworks displays were also cancelled in Edinburgh, Manchester and Liverpool in a bid to disperse crowds amid Covid restrictions.
However, unofficial fireworks could be seen lighting up the sky over St James’ Park in Newcastle, while the rest of the city remained still. In Nottingham, streets remained empty, after residents were instructed to celebrate indoors.
Several groups of people could be gathered illegally on Primrose Hill in London to watch fireworks go off across the capital’s skyline.
This story is being updated.
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