THOUSANDS of York revellers drank, danced and sang the night away to welcome in 2003.

A mass of people poured out of pubs and restaurants across the city for the traditional celebration outside York Minster.

By 11.45pm the area was packed with raucous, but good-natured revellers.

The sound of cheers, fireworks and popping champagne corks filled the air as the Minster bells heralded the beginning of the New Year.

One man donned a gorilla suit and scaled the top of a lamppost outside the west entrance to sing and wave at the party people below. Others climbed trees and shinned up sections of the Minster.

Reveller Steve Thornley, from Huntsman Walk, York, was among a group singing Auld Lang Syne in front of the famous cathedral

"The atmosphere is unbelievable," he said.

"We know how to have a good time in York."

Lucy Smith, from Holgate, said: "This is my first year coming to the Minster. It's awesome."

Meanwhile, police made seven arrests for a variety of public order offences on a busy night for city centre officers.

A spokeswoman said several of the offenders were sent to Selby police station as the cells at Fulford Road became full.

Three men were arrested following a seven-man brawl outside the take-away grill in Kings Street at 11.08pm. A vehicle was damaged in the incident.

One man was arrested at the Three Tuns pub in Coppergate at 10.13pm following a suspected assault. A 16-year-old boy was also arrested for a public order offence in High Petergate at 11.05pm, after he was allegedly seen chasing after a teenager with about 30 other youths.

The police spokeswoman said a group of under-age drinkers aged between 14 and 17 was discovered in the York Arms pub after they were turned away from the Three Legged Mare.

Two men were arrested in Stonegate at 10.15pm for allegedly being drunk and disorderly.

A spokesman for Tees, East and North Yorkshire Ambulance Service said it was an "extremely busy" night, but many of the calls related to drunkenness and there were no major incidents.

In East Yorkshire, there were a small number of arrests for drink -driving and public order offences.

Updated: 12:03 Thursday, January 02, 2003