A PIPE band from Northern Ireland was crowned World Pipe Band Champion for the third consecutive year after an event that saw 8000 musicians play in front of crowds of 30,000 people.

As the second day of the event got under way, black clouds rolled in and gusts of wind turned ­umbrellas inside out, but it took more than a few ­torrential showers to dampen the spirits of Ray Purser of Maxville, Ontario.

Trying to shelter under a tree from the near-­horizontal rain lashing Glasgow Green, he beamed with pride at the sixth-placing his band ­Glengarry received in the World Pipe Band Championships, affectionately known as The Worlds, over the weekend.

"The band was ecstatic. It's my first time at the competition and I would love to come back," he said.

"Though the weather was a real surprise: it's more like November than August."

Head-to-toe black waterproof capes were the must-have accessories of the weekend. It was the first time the Glasgow Green event was been staged over two days since 1979 to accommodate growing competitor numbers.

When the skies cleared and the sun came out, the capes were taken off and the park was a blaze of colour from the rainbow of tartans on show.

As 225 bands from 17 countries were put through their paces, the skirl of the pipes could be heard the length and breadth of the park.

While a lone piper played a wistful rendition of The Brown Haired Maiden near the entrance at Charlotte Street, the Simon Fraser University band from Canada was warming up.

In the distance, bands took their places in the grading arenas, stoically standing through rain and sunshine to take their turn in front of the eyes and ears of the ­judging panel.

The Worlds marked the end of Glasgow's week-long Piping Live festival.

This year, bands from as far afield as New Zealand, Sweden, Australia and Pakistan competed with newcomers from Mexico and Brazil in front of more than 30,000 spectators.

Taking shelter in the music tent from another downpour, Zoe Thompson from Blairgowrie lamented the fact her band, Alyth and District, did not qualify after they played yesterday.

"It's a bit disappointing, you always want to do your best," she said. "I've been here with the band six times before, we'll definitely be back."

With 800 pipers and drummers competing, the only snatched moments of silence all weekend were the seconds before the bands marched into the grading arena, then the drums started, the pipes joined in and battle commenced.

If the record number of bands from 17 countries was not enough, more records were being broken in the Glasgow World Highland Games field bordering Greendyke Street, where some of the strongest men and women on the planet pitted their mettle and muscles against each other.

On her third attempt, 28lb weight over bar ­champion Kirsty Scott from Washington, US, set a world record at 21 feet. The men's world record is almost one foot lower.