Big Ben's bongs returned this morning at 9am for the first time since Remembrance Sunday. 

The iconic chimes will continue to ring out over the Christmas period after the building work on the clock tower temporarily stopped to mark the holiday season.

The hourly bongs were reinstated to herald in the festive celebrations but will cease once again at 1pm on New Year's Day.

This means that people in the UK can celebrate the countdown to the New Year with the toll of Big Ben's bells at midnight on December 31st.

The bell was first silenced in August because of "crucial repairs" being made to the Elizabeth Tower.This sparked controversy as the renovation is set to take around four years to complete. 

However, the bongs will return to mark special events, such as Remembrance Sunday, and national celebrations, like New Year's Eve. 

At the beginning of 2018, the Great Clock will be dismantled piece by piece, and each cog will be examined and restored.