THESE eerie photos of London on New Year’s Eve this year mark a sharp contrast with the mass of revellers packing the streets just 12 months earlier.

As the coronavirus pandemic swept the nation many traditional celebrations to mark the new year were scrapped.

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London’s streets were eerily quiet and deserted as officials told potential partygoers to stay at home.

A new mutant strain of Covid-19 which swept across the South East and London just before Christmas emphasised the need to prevent mass gatherings.

Lockdown measures throughout November brought England's daily cases down to around 15,000, but the government was forced to cancel a planned relaxation of restrictions over Christmas amid a steady rise.

Tier 4 measures were introduced across London and the southeast just days before Christmas, and expanded to Oxfordshire, Suffolk, and Norfolk on Boxing Day.

But Tuesday saw a record 53,135 people test positive for coronavirus, and the continuing trend has prompted concerns that further restrictions will soon be necessary in the worst-affected areas.

A number of London boroughs, including Barking and Dagenham, Enfield, and Bexley, currently have seven-day infection rates of more than 1,000 cases per 100,000 of population.

The lights in London weren’t out entirely though as Big Ben’s chimes brought in the new year at midnight.

While the usual spectacular fireworks display centred around the London Eye was cancelled the capital still managed to put on an eye-catching display featuring a light show and fireworks.

The new year 2021 was illuminated into the darkness, alongside a flying bird. A spectacular light display was also projected from Tower Bridge and the Shard.

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