MORE than 200 bands will perform in front of an expected record 50,000-strong crowd at Glasgow Green tomorrow.

MORE than 200 bands will perform in front of an expected record 50,000-strong crowd at Glasgow Green tomorrow.

But spectators won't be listening to the latest pop groups they'll be enjoying the skirl of the pipes.

The World Pipe Band Championships - finale of a week-long series of Piping Live! concerts and events - will see 8000 musicians compete from countries as far flung as the USA, Australia, Pakistan and even Oman.

This year's event is the 22nd year in a row to be hosted by Glasgow with the 2008 championship predicted to bring more than £10million in revenue to the city.

For Robert Mathieson - who has led Edgar, Shotts and Dykehead as pipe major for the last 23 years - bringing back the title to Scotland is all that matters.

"Glasgow is a fantastic host - the city's turned the event into a week-long festival of piping," said Robert, 49, whose pipe band is based in North Lanarkshire.

"I just hope we can bring back the championships to Scotland tomorrow."

Robert, whose band of 24 pipers and 18 drummers last won in 2005, is one of 221 pipe majors hoping to be crowned world champion in their category.

The competition covers eight levels of ability, from grade one - which Edgar, Shotts and Dykehead will compete in - down to novice junior.

Eight winners will share a prize pot of £15,000.

Ian Embleton is chief executive of the Royal Scottish Pipe Band Association, the organisation which has run the event since the inaugural championships in 1947.

He said: "The competition has grown phenomenally - particularly over the last decade as it's become a permanent fixture on Glasgow Green."

The competition across seven open-air arenas will start at 9am and run until 5.30pm when the prize giving will begin.

Tickets, from £7, for the championships can be bought tomorrow at box offices at the event's entrances on Glasgow Green.

For more information about the competition and other piping events visit www.pipingfestival.co.uk