Scottish power companies were yesterday battling to restore supplies to homes cut off by the New Year storms which also controversially wiped out the Hogmanay celebrations in Edinburgh.
New Year parties in Aberdeen, Newcastle and Liverpool were also heavily disrupted by atrocious weather, which struck large areas of the north, bringing up to a foot of snow in some places.
In London, however, about 100,000 people saw in 2004 with a spectacular fireworks display at the London Eye, and later in the day large crowds turned out to see the 18th New Year's Day parade pass through the capital from Parliament Square to Piccadilly.
Officials in Edinburgh defended their decision to pull the plug on their world-famous New Year's Eve celebrations, which were expected to attract 100,000 revellers.
Events, including spectacular fireworks and a pop concert, were cancelled late in the evening as gales and rain swept the city.
It was the first time the events had been cancelled in 11 years.
Lesley Hinds, the city's Lord Provost, said: "The paramount concern in all our minds was to ensure the safety of all the revellers. Reluctantly, this meant that some very difficult decisions had to be made."
The New Year's Eve decision was taken by all agencies involved, including Lothian and Borders Police, the City of Edinburgh Council, Unique Events, safety advisers and the main sponsors, The Royal Bank of Scotland.
Ian Dickinson, Assistant Chief Constable, Lothian and Borders Police, said: "Reluctantly a joint decision was taken to cancel Edinburgh's Hogmanay Royal Bank street party. Public safety was the driving force behind all decisions taken.
In Lancashire, more than 600 homes were left without electricity after snow brought down power lines.
Homes in the north and north-east of England also suffered power failures caused by the weather. A spokeswoman for CE Electric UK said 43,000 customers had been affected by the power failures in an area stretching from the Scottish borders through the north-east to north Yorkshire.
The snow reached as far south as Norfolk. Some of the heaviest fell at Fylingdales in north Yorkshire, where a foot of snow was recorded.
PA weather forecaster Michael Dukes said last night: "The risk now is of black ice on any untreated roads tonight when temperatures fall to zero."
The outlook for the next few days is unsettled but with snow only on the hills, not widespread as on New Year's Eve.