New Year revellers say it by text message

A kiss at midnight on New Year’s Eve is no longer enough for partygoers celebrating the turn of the year, with millions now sending text messages as well.

A bumper number of texts is expected to be sent tonight, with over 25 per cent more than last year predicted by a British mobile phone network.

Orange said it had seen an increase in SMS traffic on December 31 for the past two years, with a record 159 million messages likely to be fired off by customers during this year’s celebrations.

An Orange spokesman said: “We expect to see a record number of text messages being sent, as customers start the New Year with a festive message to their friends, family and colleagues.”