Undaunted by heavy rain, tens of thousands of fans have thronged the streets of Paris to celebrate the opening on Wednesday of the football World Cup.

The festivities were reaching a climax with a pageant and fireworks display in the Place de la Concorde, billed as the biggest ever in France.

Four giant robots symbolising the four competing continents made their way through the city streets, escorted by dancers, clowns, and marchers.

Among the fans are an estimated twenty-thousand Scots, many of them wearing traditional kilts.

Thierteam plays the champions, Brazil, in the opening match.

Some of the Scots face the prospect of missing the match because their tickets have gone missing.