OVER 60,000 WEST GERMANS, MANY SPORTING FALSE NOSES AND COMIC HATS, POURED THROUGH THE BERLIN WALL YESTERDAY (TUESDAY) TO CELEBRATE THEIR FIRST NEW YEAR'S EVE CELEBRATION IN THREE YEARS WITH FAMILIES AND FRIENDS IN THE EASTERN SECTOR.

EAST GERMAN BORDER GUARDS WATCHED AMAZED AS THE FESTIVE GERMANS WAVED STREAMERS AND BUNTING WITH THEIR PERMITS. OTHERS SET OFF FIREWORKS, BANNED BY THE POLICE SINCE THE WALL WENT UP IN 1961.

AMONG THE VISITORS WAS THE HALF MILLIONTH TO PASS THROUGH THE WALL SINCE THE PASS SCHEME WAS OPENED. THE SCHEME ENDS ON SUNDAY AND ALREADY MORE THAN A MILLION PASSES HAVE BEEN ISSUED BY THE EAST GERMANS.

OUR CAMERAMAN CAUGHT REVELLERS RETURNING THROUGH THE WALL AT FOUR O'CLOCK THIS MORNING. MANY DIDN'T RETURN AT ALL SINCE THOSE WHO HAD PASSES FOR YESTERDAY AND TODAY WERE ALLOWED TO STAY OVERNIGHT IN THE EASTERN SECTOR.