Pop queen Taylor Swift kicked off the UK leg of her world tour in Glasgow - telling a packed arena: "I happen to love Scottish people."

During the Hydro gig - played to 12,000 people - Taylor mentioned her dad had emailed her to say she should tell the crowd the Swift family were originally from Scotland.

She said: "In the subject line it said 'Tell Scotland this' and in the email he said our whole family is from Scotland and you have to tell them that.

"So I am one of you, and I'm proud because this crowd is amazing."

The star, wearing a white hotpant suit and black thigh-length boots, thanked fans for all their messages over the years.

She said: "I've been entrusting my secrets to you for 10 years and I'm so happy you do the same with me."

And the night was a full-on family affair as the 25-year-old's mum was spotted in the crowd handing out backstage passes to lucky fans.

The US star, rumoured to be dating Scottish DJ Calvin Harris, performed hits from her album 1989 to a sell-out crowd at the SSE Hydro.

She swung a golf iron on stage during Blank Space and told fans after the song: "This is my first time playing in Glasgow and you sold this place out in seconds.

"I happen to love Scottish people, personally.

"It's sold out, it's Tuesday night, you're here with me and I'm so happy about it. Thanks for coming.

"You've got signs, you've got costumes - you went all out.

"This is my first time playing a show in Glasgow, Scotland you look beautiful tonight."

Fans had definitely gone "all out" for the show - dressing in Taylor Swift onsies and queueing outside the venue for hours.

Swift's UK appearance comes after she sparked headlines for her open letter to Apple saying she would hold back her latest album in protest at the technology giant's ''shocking and disappointing'' decision not to pay for songs streamed during a three-month trial period.

Writing online, she said it was ''unfair to ask anyone to work for nothing'', prompting an Apple executive to tweet that the musicians would be paid.

Swift, whose biggest hits include Shake It Off and Love Story, will play Manchester and London later this week.