Big Ben’s bongs will ring in the new year
Big Ben will be reconnected so that it can ring in the new year, the House of Commons authorities have said.
The famous bell has been largely silent since 2017 due to repairs on the clock and Parliament’s Elizabeth Tower which houses it, only being reconnected for significant occasions.
The bell, which weighs 13.7 tonnes, last rang on November 11 to mark Armistice Day.
Members of the public have been urged to stay away from Westminster on New Year’s Eve due to coronavirus restrictions.
On Wednesday Prime Minister Boris Johnson said “no one should be gathering in large groups to see in the new year”.
The bell will be tested in the days leading up to New Year’s Eve to ensure it can produce its 12 bongs when the clock strikes midnight.
