THE ELECTRIC Glen festival is once again lighting up the skies around Rouken Glen park in Giffnock.

This year's spectacular - described as the 'must-see event of the winter' by East Renfrewshire council - takes visitors on a journey back to the tropics, and interprets the colours and creativity of the fabrics that were dyed in the park’s burn 200 years ago.

East Renfrewshire citizen of the year, 13-year-old Andrew Paton performed the Electric Glen official opening ceremony against the back drop of an illuminated boating lake last night.

The teenager saved his grandad’s life last year after he fell out of his boat into Loch Fyne, and he was guest of honour at the event’s launch.

Up to 24,000 visitors are expected through the gates of the park throughout the festival which runs from until February 14.

East Renfrewshire council leader Jim Fletcher said: “This has been an astonishing evening. The festival brings together some fantastic artists working together with visuals, sounds and animation to bring the heritage of the park to life.

"Electric Glen 2016 is a feast for all the senses and a fantastic way to see Rouken Glen Park through new eyes. Not only is Electric Glen creating a positive emotional connection between local communities and the place they live, it’s a great way to get people outdoors to socialise during the middle of winter.”

Andrew said it was "great" to be asked to open the event.

He added: "It all looks fantastic. I’ll be telling my mates they should come along.”

Alan Robertson, 43, from Renfrew brought his wife Tricia, 38, and their family eight-year-old Charlie and Anna, 4, along to the event.

He said: “Electric Glen is well worth a visit. The kids have had a great night and some of the creativity and effects are spectacular.”

The creative director behind the new event is world-renowned Phil Supple who designed the lighting for the Tower of London installation, Blood Swept Lands and Seas of Red.

He said: “We’re looking forward to bringing light and life to the dark winter months in one of the west of Scotland's most beautiful parks.”

In the course of researching the show, Phil discovered links between Rouken Glen's unusual geology and an ancient sub-tropical sea, and he found original pattern samples from Thornliebank Printworks, dating back to 1814.

He said: "Rouken Glen is a mecca for geologists because it contains rocks and fossils you can only see in a handful of places in the world.

"It dates back hundreds of millions of years, when this part of Scotland was near the equator.

"It's probably the only time Scotland and 'sub-tropical' can be mentioned in the same sentence.

"Our route will go past the burn, where you can clearly see the layers of limestone.

"In the last two years, work has started on clearing away some of the invasive vegetation that exists here, so the rocks are more visible."

Other creative talents contributing to Electric Glen include Novak who create live 3D visuals for Calvin Harris and Disclosure, and West of Scotland illustrator and printmaker recent art school graduate Hazel Dunn.

Festival-goers can see the lit boating pond, atmospheric glen and illuminated landscape that tells the human and natural history of the park.

Tickets are available from www.electricglen.co.uk or www.ticketmaster.co.uk