PRESTON Lodge High School Pipe Band are celebrating after a stunning showing at the World Pipe Band Championships saw them placed as the world's best state school pipe band.

The school’s senior and junior bands took part in the championships at Glasgow Green, where 204 bands comprising thousands of pipers and drummers competed, representing 13 countries from around the world.

PL’s senior band competed in the juvenile grade, the premier grade for school bands, and finished in fourth place.

Their performance was only bettered by eventual winners George Watson's College, St Thomas Episcopal School from the USA, and Dollar Academy.

The result also means that PL retains its title as the best state school pipe band in the world.

The school’s junior band competed against 27 other schools in the Novice B grade.

The young pipers and drummers were not able to break through the heats stage, despite a very credible fourth place from the Ensemble judge.

There are currently about 50 Preston Lodge pupils participating across the two levels, and next year the school plans to launch a third ‘development’ band to bridge the gap between the junior and senior categories.

Many of the students were competing in their first World Championships, and Pipe Major Lee Moore was “incredibly proud” of everyone’s performance.

Preston Lodge sent 50 pupils to compete at the World Championships last month

He said: “They’ve punched well above their weight.

“We are a small tuition team compared to the other schools in the top flight, so to be up there challenging them is testament to the effort and dedication and teamwork of our pupils.

“When you think about it, our top band coming fourth in the world, a school from Prestonpans, is pretty high achieving.”

Gavin Clark, headteacher, added: “Thank you to all the funders, tutors, families and - most of all - students, who made this possible.”