Thousands of revellers have been duped into gathering for a phantom New Year’s Eve fireworks spectacular in a major UK city for the second consecutive year.
Hopeful crowds descended upon Birmingham’s Centenary Square last night after spotting online details of a fireworks extravaganza touted as “the biggest New Year’s party in the city” – only to find themselves let down when absolutely nothing materialised at midnight.
The disappointed attendees eventually trudged home empty-handed, having seemingly overlooked a police warning issued earlier this week that the New Year’s Eve bash was completely bogus.
A series of fabricated AI-generated articles and pictures doing the rounds on social media are thought to have sparked the mix-up, reports the Mirror.
(Image: Alamy Live News.)
One misleading post declared: “If you’re spending New Year’s Eve in Birmingham, don’t miss the celebrations on Centenary Square which is by far the biggest NYE party in the city.
“At the event, you’ll find street food vendors, an ice rink and bars to help you celebrate New Year’s Eve 2025.”
Identical chaos unfolded last year when officers had to enter the square to break the news to party-goers that no official fireworks show was taking place, after frustrated crowds had waited for hours for the bogus display.
Birmingham hasn’t staged an official fireworks show since 2014.
West Midlands Police had cautioned locals that no official celebrations were scheduled in the city centre for yesterday – and warned that “misinformation” circulating online could disrupt emergency services during one of their most hectic nights of the year.
A statement issued earlier this week declared: “There are no official firework displays or city-organised events happening in Birmingham city centre on New Year ‘s Eve.
“Every year, rumours start to spread online about big celebrations in the city. Unfortunately, these false claims often lead to confusion and disappointment.
“Last year, for example, we were made aware of posts that circulated about a spectacular show in Centenary Square. Many people believed it, travelled into the city centre, and were left frustrated when nothing happened.
“Families made unnecessary journeys and ended up disappointed after discovering the event wasn’t taking place. We don’t want that to happen again.
“If you see posts or comments on social media suggesting there will be fireworks or large-scale events in Birmingham on New Year’s Eve, please treat them with caution. These claims are not true.”
The authorities emphasised that false information “can create real safety issues in the city”, explaining that when masses of people converge for a non-existent event “it puts pressure on public transport, emergency services, and can lead to congestion in the city centre.”
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