English Heritage was thrilled to welcome around 8,500 people to Stonehenge this morning to witness the first sunrise after the Winter Solstice. This ancient celebration was also viewed over 240,000 times by people from across the world the world who tuned in to the charity’s livestream of the sunrise.

Traditional drumming, dancing and cheering greeted the sunrise, which took place shortly after 8:00AM, heralding the return of longer days of sunlight and the changing of the seasons.

Richard Dewdney, English Heritage’s Head of Operations at Stonehenge said: “It was incredible to see so many people gathered at the Stone Circle enjoying themselves this morning. It’s a testament to the draw of Stonehenge that we continue to see people travelling here from across the world to experience the Solstice tradition.

“Ensuring that the Winter Solstice at Stonehenge remains a peaceful and memorable occasion is a major operation, and we want to thank our staff, volunteers, and partners for delivering a great event today.

“English Heritage would also like to wish everyone who joined us a safe journey home and a very Merry Christmas. We will be open throughout the festive season and New Year, except on Christmas Day itself, and we look forward welcoming more visitors to experience the magic of Stonehenge during this time.”

For those who missed out, the Winter Solstice sunrise is available to watch again on the English Heritage YouTube Channel.