HARDY revellers braved biting 50mph winds as they partied in the streets to welcome in 2007.

York's pubs and clubs were packed to the rafters and its streets thronged with partygoers as the city saw in the new year.

But the driving winds did not chill the spirits of the boisterous crowds - and cheers rang out, champagne corks popped and fireworks whizzed through the air as the Minster bells heralded the arrival of January 1, 2007.

York stage star Berwick Kaler took time out from rehearsals to wish Press readers a happy Hogmanay. Veteran Berwick is enjoying his 28th panto year in the city, with his Theatre Royal production of Cinderella.

He wasn't the only one dressed up to the nines. Revellers at the Deramore Arms, in Heslington, donned glitzy costumes for a TV and film fancy dress night.

Pub manager Steve Bell said: "It was superb fun. It's events like this that bring the community together."

In Norton, the atmosphere at the Derwent Arms was "great". Landlord Darren Rushworth said: "We were very busy, but everyone behaved themselves and just had a laugh."

At the Tap & Spile, in Monkgate, York, landlord Jack Merry fell victim to the wind - it was so strong, it blew out an upstairs window. The pub was packed with partygoers.

Jack said: "We were even busier than last year, full of people meeting up, having a good time, and psyching themselves up for the Minster at midnight."

By 11.30pm, a huge crowd had gathered outside York's historic cathedral. The tolling of the midnight bells was accompanied by cheers and spontaneous renditions of Auld Lang Syne. There were similar scenes in Selby, with dozens of revellers congregating around Market Cross, outside Selby Abbey.

But not everyone was having fun. Across York, and North and East Yorkshire, hundreds of police officers, paramedics and firefighters were out on duty.

Spokesmen in the control rooms of the Yorkshire Ambulance Service and North Yorkshire Police said New Year's Eve was busy, but passed with no major incidents.

Between 6pm and midnight, North Yorkshire's firefighters were called out seven times, including to a car fire on the A64 and a number of automatic fire alarms.

In East Yorkshire, firefighters attended four incidents. Glenn Ramsden, of Humberside Fire And Rescue Service, urged the public to "spare a thought for all of the emergency workers that were not celebrating with their families".