Edinburgh certainly knows how to celebrate the New Year in style, with a stellar combination of fireworks and top acts to headline the Concert in the Gardens.

Auld Lang Syne is the anthem of the New Year and is sung across the globe as fireworks explode for the beginning of New Year.

The song is a Scottish poem written by Robert Burns in 1788 and set to the tune of a traditional folk song and the artist Rag’ n’ Bone Man sang a moving rendition of the song after the dazzling fireworks.

Rag'n'Bone Man is the headline of Concert in the Gardens along with Declan McKenna and Nina Nesbitt as support acts.

Other acts on the three Street Party include The Human League Sacred Paws, Treacherous Orchestra and Huey Morgan. 

Fireworks were launched from Edinburgh Castle at 9pm, 10pm and 11pm in a countdown to midnight when a “soundscaped” fireworks display entertained the audience for the first nine minutes of 2018.

The band Niteworks and film/theatre composer and sound designer Dan Jones were commissioned to create the “soundscape”.

Of course, Scotland has been celebrating New Year earlier than everyone else as part of “Hogmanay”.

Hogmanay is what the Scots call New Year’s Eve and marks the arrival of the new year.

Its origin dates back to Viking times and the celebration of the winter solstice - many honour this tradition by dressing up as Vikings on New Year’s Eve.

In Edinburgh the new year is celebrated with three days of events, a torchlight procession, the famous Hogmanay street party and on New Year’s Day ‘The Loony Dook.’

The day before New Year’s Eve - December 30 - thousands of torch-bearers take to the streets for a torchlight procession along the streets of Edinburgh.

Revellers march through the city centre with pipes and drums and flaming torches creating a “river of fire” from the Royal Mile and the procession finishes with a fireworks finale set against Calton Hill. 

Australian torchbearer Raquel Mendez-Lopez, 24, a first-time visitor to Edinburgh, said: “I wanted to come to Edinburgh for Hogmanay because it just looked amazing. 

“I’m doing all the events, including the Loony Dook, there just seems to be so much going on. “It’s great to be part of such a traditional event like the torchlight parade in a really historic place. Edinburgh has got something really special about it.”

Frank Ross, Edinburgh’s Lord Provost, who led the parade down the Royal Mile, said: “It is a special moment to lead such a breath-taking torchlight procession through Scotland’s capital and to see people come together from all over the world to celebrate the start of Edinburgh’s Hogmanay. 

“You see the city at its best and you can’t help but feel proud of its streets and its people. This year, the event has involved young people from all over Scotland to welcome in the Year of Young People. I want to thank every single young Scot who has been involved in the event.”

The city’s three-day Hogmanay festival is being staged amid the biggest ever security operation mounted at the event as the UK remains on high alert following several terror attacks in 2017.

The UK’s most elite fighting unit, the SAS, will patrol tourist hotspots to take out any potential terror threat during New Year festivities.

Special forces will monitor crowds in London’s Trafalgar Square, Birmingham, Manchester, Liverpool and Edinburgh as they let in the New Year.

Snipers will be equipped with a Barrett Light .50 rifle, which can stop a vehicle at almost a mile.

Shooting vehicles being used as weapons by terrorists is considered to be one of the most effective ways of preventing any potential attack.

As well as SAS teams being present, there will also be armed police on patrol along with covert officers and dog units.

The Metropolitan Police said there was no specific threat but urged people to remain vigilant.