Hundreds of thousands of revellers rang in 2009 from a freezing Times Square as the famous Waterford crystal ball dropped, signalling the end of a historic and troubled year that saw the election of the first black US president and the worst economic crisis in decades.

A promoter who offered to take men on “Hunting for Bambi” safaris in which they could hunt down naked young women with paintball guns admits that it was a hoax and now faces charges, the mayor of Las Vegas said today.