Thousands draw breath to set world bagpipe record

Bagpipers march through Edinburgh's historic centre

EDINBURGH (Reuters) -- Thousands of bagpipers and drummers from across the globe marched into the record books on Saturday to raise money for cancer care.

Some 10,000 pipers and drummers -- from as far afield as the United States and Australia and led by former Scottish rugby captain Gavin Hastings -- marched through Edinburgh's historic centre, organisers from Marie Curie Cancer Care said.

The musicians smashed the previous world record of 3,000 people for the largest number of bagpipers and drummers to march together, they said. The old record was set some five years ago at another event organised by Marie Curie Cancer Care.

Some of the players, who aimed to raise some GBP 500,000 ($750,000) for the Marie Curie Cancer Care charity, met heir-to-the-throne Prince Charles in the Scottish capital.

British actor Ewan McGregor, of Trainspotting and Star Wars fame, currently filming in Australia and a keen bagpipe player himself, lent his support to the event from afar.

"I wanted to be part of this great event, which will be such a brilliant celebration of the best of Scotland's music, dance and traditions, especially as it's for a good cause," he told the BBC.

"Some of my family are playing the pipes and marching and I just wish that I could be there with them."

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Marie Curie Cancer Care

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