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Londonderry lit up by spooky Halloween parade spectacle

Tens of thousands of people celebrated in Londonderry in what was billed as the biggest Halloween party in Europe.

The annual four-day festival, organised by Derry City and Strabane District Council, officially got under way on Saturday.

It ended on Tuesday evening with a parade and fireworks display over the River Foyle.

31 October 2017

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Runners dressed in Santa hats line up on the beach ready to run into the sea.

Watch: Hundreds run into sea at Boxing Day dips

Group of around 30 people in front of a snow house with someone dressed as Santa on the roof.

The Glaswegian who spends Christmas in Antarctica

Big Zuu stands in a Christmas-decorated kitchen

Big Zuu takes on Christmas leftovers

Charles Cavey in his black, tubular bin with his arms, and guitar neck protruding from the side holes. The black bin has LITTER in gold writing on its side

Meet the man who busks from inside a litter bin

Character Jesse Chadwick dressed in a wedding suit hugs smiling wife Gail in the back of a car.

Watch: Helen Worth's final scene as Gail after 50 years

King Charles standing in the chapel decorated with Christmas trees and white lights.

Watch: King speaks of 'pride' at unity shown after riots

Space crew on ISS

Watch: ISS crew sends Christmas greetings from space

Science & Environment

A pork pie

Pork pie shop's unique creations for Christmas

Christmas Day hike

'Christmas Day hikes have been life-changing'

A black and white image of a popular 1950s television puppet called Hank the Cowboy

What London's children got for Christmas in 1952

Queen smiling into the camera in 1957.

Archive: Queen's first televised Christmas message

Soldier is looking at a screen.

Where is Santa right now? These people know

Pope Francis marked the start of the Jubilee year by opening the normally bricked-up Holy Door of St Peter's Basilica

Pope opens Holy Door to kick off special jubilee year

Kate Kinsella with Christmas decorations

What does London's weather have in store for Santa's visit?

Weather forecaster standing in front of map of UK showing temperatures for 15:00 on Christmas Day

Weather forecast for a cloudy and mild Christmas Day

Santa Cruz wharf collapses

Santa Cruz Wharf partially collapses due to pacific storm

Lucy Vladev eating mince pie

Are mince pies good for you?

Fireworks exploding during house fire; firefighters standing at the scene

Fireworks explode as US house burns down

Three young men stand around a Christmas tree in the yard of a farm. A brown and white goat is leaning over a fence eating the tree.

Social farming creates opportunities for people with additional needs

Northern Ireland

A woman smiling in a pub in 1962 with a glass of wine behind her.

Archive: People collect Christmas savings from pub

Beds, Herts & Bucks

Kevin Murphy wearing a navy O'Neills branded coast and green zip jumper underneath. he is standing in front of rocks and grassy hills

Winter solstice shining new light on Slieve Gullion history

Dozens will summit Slieve Gullion on Saturday to watch dawn break on the shortest day of the year.

Northern Ireland

Craig Ballentine at Dublin Airport, he has short light hair and a beard. He is smiling at the camera and wearing an orange hoodie and a blue back pack

Return from Dubai 'a Christmas miracle'

Craig Ballentine was arrested in Abu Dhabi airport in October because he posted critical comments about his former employer in Dubai.

Northern Ireland

Elizabeth McKillion and Margaret McRory both recently turned 100 years old

Turning 100 with my neighbour: 'Awk they made a mistake!'

Elizabeth McKillion and Margaret McRory both recently turned 100 years old.

Northern Ireland

Manchester United footballer Kobbie Mainoo is on the left hand side speaking to John Nellis on the right. Mainoo is wearing a white hoodie with red lettering. Nellis is in a black t-shirt and has a beard and short, shaven hair

Belfast YouTuber rubbing shoulders with Mbappé

Northern Ireland

Boy playing esports, large computer game screen

Esports 'is the fastest growing industry in the world'

Young people at the special school in north Belfast are studying towards a qualification in esports.

Northern Ireland

Andrea Nelson speaking into press mics, she has short blonde hair and is wearing a pair of black glasses. She has a burgundy coat on with a neutral scarf. Behind her are three men dressed in long coats and scarves.

La Mon investigation 'really challenging for the families'

A Police Ombudsman report has been unable to explain why records from the original police investigation were lost.

Northern Ireland

Stella McLoughlin - a woman with blonde hair sits in a grey sofa looking at the camera.

'This has been an absolute scandal from start to finish'

Stella McLoughlin from the campaign group Ladies with Letters says what has happened was unforgivable.

Northern Ireland

A woman is speaking into a number of news microphones, branded with the logos of various broadcasters. She is reading a statement from a sheet of paper she is holding in both hands. She is wearing a brown jacket, pink shirt and has black glasses and long blonde hair.

'Heinous predator' sentenced for abuse offences

Police say David John Andrews was a "heinous predator" who groomed young girls across the UK.

Northern Ireland

Man draped in Syrian flag outside broadcasting house, red brick buildings in background, with crowd celebrating in background

'I'm going to go back and hopefully build Syria all over again'

Crowds have gathered in cities across the world as many Syrians celebrate the fall of the Syrian government.

Northern Ireland

Rapper Smack Jay stands in the middle of a classroom with a microphone in his hand. A number of schoolchildren wearing red school hoodies are watching him.

'The best way to make change is through music'

Rapper and activist Smack Jay from Zambia brought his flows to Rathcoole Primary as part of Human Rights Week.

Northern Ireland

Michael McKinney - a man with short white hair wearing frameless glasses is talking outside of a white stone building.

'Soldier F trial must proceed without delay'

William McKinney's brother Michael says "another step" had been taken for justice for Bloody Sunday families.

Northern Ireland

west belfast schoolboys in grey uniform sat around table looking at paperwrk

The schoolboys tackling violence against women and girls

Schoolboys in west Belfast have been learning about how to recognise and tackle violence against women and girls.

Northern Ireland

Olivia McVeigh - a young woman with long blonde hair looks at the camera while sat on a grey sofa in a white room

'I wanted to create a safe space for those with alopecia'

Olivia McVeigh, from County Tyrone, has been named on BBC's 100 Women 2024 list.

Northern Ireland

Kevin Sinfield - a man wears an orange headband with MND written on it in white and blue fonts while smiling. He is stood in front of a large blue MND banner.

Sinfield brings MND running challenge to Belfast

Kevin Sinfield is running 230 miles across the UK to raise money for Motor Neurone Disease.

Northern Ireland

Protesters holding up placards with the Palestinian flag on them standing at the front of a cathedral. A priest in purple robs is standing behind an alter behind them.

Priest responds to pro-Palestinian protest

About 30 pro-Palestinian demonstrators interrupted a service at St Patrick's Cathedral in Armagh.

Northern Ireland

DJ Próvaí wearing a green, white and orange balaclava

'Kneecap win is a victory for freedom of expression'

Belfast rap group Kneecap has won its discrimination case against the UK government.

Northern Ireland

Chloe Wilson, a woman with blonde hair

Sexual assault survivor wants to be voice for others

A survivor of sexual assault has said her future now centres on “victim empowerment”.

Northern Ireland

Emma, with long brown hair and wearing a purple hoody, looks to the side of the camera

How schools can help bereaved pupils with grief

Emma, who lost her brother, says it can be "overwhelming" to deal with grief alongside school work.

Northern Ireland

Tom Hadden sits on a grey sofa. He is wearing a stripey top.

'Rural road crash changed my life'

Tom Hadden was driving a bin lorry down a country road when another truck collided with his vehicle.

Northern Ireland

A woman with straight blonde hair looks to the side of the camera. She is wearing a blue t-shirt and necklace.

Parents of SEN young people call for support

Currently pupils with special educational needs do not receive automatic support to continue in education when they leave school.

Northern Ireland