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| Stonehenge crowds gather to mark winter solstice | Stonehenge crowds gather to mark winter solstice |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| More than 5,000 people have gathered to mark the winter solstice at Stonehenge. | More than 5,000 people have gathered to mark the winter solstice at Stonehenge. |
| The attendance was equivalent to five times the number that turned out at Salisbury Plain for last year's event. | The attendance was equivalent to five times the number that turned out at Salisbury Plain for last year's event. |
| More people had been predicted to congregate, as the date coincides with the end of the 5,125-year "long count" cycle of the Mayan calendar. | More people had been predicted to congregate, as the date coincides with the end of the 5,125-year "long count" cycle of the Mayan calendar. |
| Druids and pagans are among those who head to Stonehenge each December to watch the sunrise on the shortest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere. | Druids and pagans are among those who head to Stonehenge each December to watch the sunrise on the shortest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere. |
| 'Absolutely packed' | 'Absolutely packed' |
| Wiltshire Police said "well over" 5,000 people had gathered to watch the sunrise over the giant stones at 08:05 GMT. | Wiltshire Police said "well over" 5,000 people had gathered to watch the sunrise over the giant stones at 08:05 GMT. |
| The force said one person was arrested for being drunk and disorderly, and given a fixed penalty notice. | The force said one person was arrested for being drunk and disorderly, and given a fixed penalty notice. |
| BBC Wiltshire reporter Annie Weston, at the scene, said: "This is the only time when people are allowed into the circle of stones. | |
| "It is absolutely packed. People are cheering and chanting and everybody was looking towards the sun for that special moment. | "It is absolutely packed. People are cheering and chanting and everybody was looking towards the sun for that special moment. |
| "There are flags flying, druids here too and people of various religions and faiths." | "There are flags flying, druids here too and people of various religions and faiths." |
| She spoke with Shelby McCabe, from Honolulu in Hawaii, who said it was "the perfect day". | She spoke with Shelby McCabe, from Honolulu in Hawaii, who said it was "the perfect day". |
| "All my friends are very jealous that I am here. They would love to be here. They told me to take 1,000 photos which I think I've done," she said. | "All my friends are very jealous that I am here. They would love to be here. They told me to take 1,000 photos which I think I've done," she said. |
| Donna Nicholson, from Swindon, woke up at 03:00 GMT to get to the stones on time. | Donna Nicholson, from Swindon, woke up at 03:00 GMT to get to the stones on time. |
| She said it was "exciting" to be there for the "new birth of a new era". | She said it was "exciting" to be there for the "new birth of a new era". |
| This year's solstice date also marks the conclusion of the long count cycle of the Mayan calendar, which some people believe indicates the end of the world. | This year's solstice date also marks the conclusion of the long count cycle of the Mayan calendar, which some people believe indicates the end of the world. |
| Although the exact time of the solstice this year - when the Earth's axial tilt is farthest away from the sun - is at 11:11 GMT, English Heritage provided access to the stones earlier in the morning. |