New Year's Eve security BOOSTED across Britain after Manchester and London terror
SECURITY at New Year’s Eve celebrations around Britain will be strengthened in the wake terror attacks in Manchester and London.
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Revellers in the capital and elsewhere will see many more armed police patrols along with specialist dog units and vehicle barriers.
Alongside uniformed officers, plain clothes detectives will mingle with the crowds celebrating the New Year across the nation.
Sunday will see a major security operation by the UK’s big city forces following four terror attacks in 2017.
In March, five people were killed in Westminster including PC Keith Palmer.
New Year's Eve security BOOSTED across Britain after Manchester and London terror
More than 20 concert-goers were killed in a suicide bomb in May
The London Bridge attack claimed five lives
The slaughter of 22 victims in a bomb blast at the Manchester Arena in May was followed by the London Bridge attacks in June which claimed five more lives.
An explosion on a tube train at Parson’s Green, west London, in September injured 30 people.
There was also an alleged terror attack in June outside a mosque in Finsbury Park, north London, which left one man dead.
Speaking about New Year’s Eve in London, Superintendent Nick Aldworth: “The policing plan has been developed and reviewed following the tragic incidents that have occurred through the year.
“Whilst there is no specific threat to this event, we ask people to remain vigilant and report anything suspicious to an officer or event staff.
“We will have the right response of officers at the right locations; this will be a mix of overt and covert officers deployed, as well as dogs, and the use of CCTV and automatic number plate recognition.
“People can expect to see armed officers in the area, and we will be using vehicle barriers across the event area.”
This year around 100,000 ticket-holders will watch the traditional spectacular fireworks display light up the River Thames on Sunday.
The event, which is sold out, will feature a soundtrack dominated by female artists to mark the centenary of women being granted the vote.
Scotland Yard advised people without a ticket for the sold-out event to watch “from the comfort and warmth of your home”.
A spokeswoman for London mayor Sadiq Khan said: “The safety of Londoners is the mayor’s number one priority.”