DRUNKEN prisoners filled the cells in Worcester as New Year celebrations turned ugly.

The cells at Worcester were full to bursting following a series of arrests, including a man who had assaulted his partner with a weapon in Kidderminster, a drug driver high on cocaine who was stopped in Worcester and four arrests in Malvern alone.

The night proved busier than last year with a 15 per cent increase in calls to the West Midlands Ambulance service (midnight to 4am).

At the height of the party all 24 cells at Worcester Police Station in Castle Street were full with almost every prisoner arrested for drink-related offences.

Even after 2am, when many revellers were in bed, officers dealt with 10 prisoners as they responded to 536 calls from midnight onwards across the West Mercia Police force area, including in Worcester, Droitwich, Malvern and Evesham.

Inspector Stuart Hawkeswood of West Mercia Police said: "I would go as far as to say almost every incident was drink-related with multiple assaults across the force area.

"Custody had to be closed at Worcester because the cells were all full but we turned the prisoners around quickly.

It has been a very busy night."

There were four New Year's Eve arrests in Malvern alone for breach of the peace, breach of restraining order, a public order offence and an assault.

West Mercia Police's Operations Patrol Unit arrested the driver of a van at junction 3 of the M42 for drink driving after the driver lost control exiting the motorway.

The OPU also arrested a male for drug driving in Worcester with a positive indication for cannabis and cocaine.

The Central Motorway Police Group stopped a driver who was was 'middle lane hogging' on the M5 and arrested him following a positive drug swipe.

A man was also arrested for assaulting his partner with a weapon in Kidderminster.

More ambulance crews were on duty for New Year than ever before said the West Midlands Ambulance Service.

Between 8pm and midnight, there were 634 ‘999’ calls in the West Midlands region, an increase of nearly 7 per cent on the same period a year earlier.

Of these calls 68 were in Worcestershire and 22 in Herefordshire The busiest hour was between 1am and 2am as more alcohol-related calls came in including assaults, falls and unconscious patients.

From midnight until 4am, there were 995 ‘999’ calls, an increase of 15 per cent on the same period a year earlier (68 in Worcestershire and 25 in Herefordshire).

A highlight of the night for the ambulance service was the successful resuscitation of a young man who collapsed having suffered a cardiac arrest in a nightclub in Birmingham.

It happened outside “6 on Broad Street” shortly after 1am. A senior paramedic officer, a community paramedic, an ambulance crew and the MERIT trauma team consisting of a trauma doctor and critical care practitioner attended.

Paramedic Officer Jason Wiles said: “It was a busy night but we managed because of our planning and the help of our partner agencies.”

In Hereford, an Emergency Care Practitioner and an Emergency Medical Technician were at ‘Emilia’s’ to join the city’s street pastors in running a temporary minor injuries unit.

Nine patients were seen at the unit, eight of which were treated and discharged. Only one, who had a head injury, went on to A&E.

West Midlands Ambulance Service Chief Executive Anthony Marsh said: “I am very grateful and very proud of all my staff that worked through the year and through the night to keep everyone safe, putting the public before themselves and their families."

Elsewhere, crowds gathered on the banks of the Thames and in city centres across the UK to see spectacular fireworks displays ring in the start of 2016.

In central London, about 3,000 officers, including firearms police, were deployed to watch over new year revellers at a time of heightened global security in the wake of the Paris terror attacks.

Tens of thousands lined banks and bridges along the Thames, braving intermittent spells of rain ahead of a midnight display featuring about 12,000 fireworks which produced 50,000 projectiles.

There were a total of 48 arrests overnight, including four for drug possession, three for carrying offensive or bladed weapons and five for assaults on police officers.

Six people were also detained for public order offences, 11 for assault and one for sexual assault, the Met said.