NEW Year's Eve celebrations descended into chaos across Germany after at least 14 women were sexually assaulted and fireworks were thrown at police.

Security was ramped up in city centres amid fears of a terror attack and in a bid to prevent a repeat of the attacks in Cologne last year, but events still spiralled out of control.

17 German police in Hamburg where at least 14 women were allegedly sexually assaulted during New Year celebrations Credit: Reuters

17 German police officers perform security checks ahead of the New Year celebrations in Hamburg Credit: Reuters

17 Police said they have arrested 10 suspects - including migrants - in connection with the sex attacks Credit: EPA

At least 14 women, aged between 18 and 26, were victims of sexual assault in Hamburg - where more than 500 extra officers were put on patrol, according to German media.

Officers said they had arrested 10 suspected attackers, including migrants, in connection with the assaults on December 31 in Große Freiheit and Beatles Square.

Three Syrians, three Iraqis two Afghans, one Eritrean and a German are among those accused of grabbing women's crotches, groping their bottoms and putting their hands up their skirts.

More than 45,000 people turned out to see in the New Year in the city where police described the mood as aggressive "because of people with migration background", the Daily Express reports.

The newspaper claims police in the town of Augsburg also launched investigations into several sex attacks on New Year's Eve where 150 people were celebrating.

17 German police guard the venue at the Reeperbahn street in St.Pauli red-light district before the New Year celebrations for 2017 Credit: Reuters

17 A German police car blocks a street as the celebrations get underway in Hamburg Credit: Reuters

17 More than 45,000 gathered in the city to see in the New Year and extra police were laid on for the event Credit: Reuters

17 Hamburgs Innensenator German politician Andy Grote (second right) speaks to German Police officers in Hamburg on NYE Credit: EPA

Police reports also claim migrants launched fireworks into the crowd and a 22-year-old Syrian man was arrested for firing a rocket at people standing next to him.

A firefighter, who was working as part of the security at the event, was among those injured after a rocket was fired at his back, according to the Augsburger Allgemeine.

A woman, aged 30, and a police officer in a patrol car were also reportedly injured by fireworks.

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A trio of men from Iraq and Syria were banned from the town's Königsplatz square after firing rockets, police said.

Police spokesman Friedhelm Bechtel said: "I am shocked when fellow citizens turn New Year's Eve on fellow human beings. It makes me sad and stunned."

Meanwhile three Afghan nationals, aged 19, 21 and 37, were accused of repeatedly groping two 18-year-old girls and arrested but denied all allegations.

German media also reported that an Iraqi, who is on the run, stabbed a Syrian man in the thigh with a pocketknife while a 26-year-old German knifed another victim in a separate attack.

Five police in Dortmund were injured when New Year's events spiralled out of control and dozens of men were arrested.

At least 1,000 men had gathered in the city's Leeds square where rockets were launched into the crowds and hurled at police officers, according to Ruhr Nachrichten.

Earlier in the evening a rocket was fired at group of homeless people and a 32-year-old was seriously injured.

In Cologne police say they managed to prevent a repeat of the horrific events of the previous year where more than 1,000 sex attacks were reported.

Officers screened 650 mostly North African men at train stations before they made their way to the city centre.

17 German police officers checking incoming people from North Africa in front of the Central Station in Cologne, Germany, on NYE Credit: EPA

17 A policewoman wraps up warm as officers watch Hauptbahnhof main railway station in Cologne Credit: Getty Images

17 German police stopped a throng of 1,000 men, believed to be of North African descent moving towards a square near Cologne's main station on New Year's Eve Credit: Getty Images

17 The men were prevented from moving towards the square in a bid to prevent a repeat of a series mass sexual assaults that took place in the same square last year Credit: Getty Images

17 Police confirmed some of those trying to reach the square had been involved last year Credit: Getty Images

At least 150 of them were described as "the clientele from last year."

Police swooped on the throng around 9.30pm and took the personal details of all of them. There were no arrests.

Many were put on to trains back to the towns they had come from by officers.

One man was arrested for groping a woman, three more who did the same are still being hunted.

There were 1,500 police on duty - ten times the number last year - backed up by hundreds of volunteers and public order officials.

"Overall the situation dissolved quickly and quietly because many parties left the city by train," said a police spokesman.

17 More than a thousands police were on the streets of the German city on New Year's Eve in a bid to prevent a repeat of the trouble Credit: Getty Images

17 The men were trying to reach a square outside the city's main train station Credit: EPA

17 Tensions reared their head in Cologne last year following the horrific outbreak of sexual violence from migrants Credit: Alamy

On the other side of the Rhine at the Deutzer train station a group of nearly 300 people of North African origin were met by an overwhelming police presence.

Again, many were sent back to the places they had come from.

"On the whole, the security plan worked", said Cologne Police President Jürgen Mathies. In total six people were arrested in the course of the evening.

Fireworks were banned in and around the station and the cathedral outside, security zones checked the bags of revellers who came to watch a light show by a Berlin artist and anyone drunk or threatening was turned away.

17 Disturbances across Germany last year saw more than 1,500 women subjected to horrific sexual assaults Credit: Xposure

17 More than 2,000 men of North African appearance were believed to be behind the shocking assaults Credit: DPA

More than 1,500 women are believed to have been subjected to horrifying sexual assaults – including 24 cases of alleged rape - across German cities last New Year’s Eve.

Authorities confirmed the men behind the attacks were largely migrants of North African appearance.

Cologne was the worst-hit with up to 600 women being assaulted in and around the city’s main train station.

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