THE 72nd annual Glasgow Taxi Outing to Troon set off from the city centre earlier today.

The weather may have been a little grey but there was plenty of colour on display as taxi drivers dressed up in some incredible costumes and spruced up their vehicles with some decorations.

Their passengers for the day are hundreds of schoolchildren with additional support needs, along with their parents and carers.

Lord Provost Eva Bolander and charity supporter and Celtic legend Tom Boyd attended the event, with a pipe band helping to provide entertainment.

Balloons were released to signify the start of the journey, with the taxi convoy heading out through Glasgow’s West End before heading for George Square.

They then took a route through the southside and down towards Ayrshire, with Troon the destination.

The taxi convoy heads off, destination Troon! @glasgow_taxis https://t.co/pjRPpmMJv0 — The Sunday Post (@Sunday_Post) June 21, 2017

Taxi driver James Hennigan – Batman for the day – said: “I’ve been doing it for almost ten years now, I wouldn’t miss it.

“It’s a pity about the weather but we’ll enjoy ourselves anyway.”

Another driver, this time a nun, David Hodgson said: “What couldn’t be special about today, look at all these kids, they love it.

“I think the big weans love it more than the wee weans!

Former driver Robert Ross, who brought his granddaughter along to watch the departure, said: “They say you never know the value of a moment until it becomes a memory. Every year I have so many memories captured about the outing.

“My father used to take me as a child, he was a driver who took part in the outing and I followed him into the taxi business and did it many years myself.

“Now I take my granddaughter down to watch the very emotional exit of the taxis from Kelvin Way.”

The annual outings started in 1945 when three drivers organised a bus run to Saltcoats.

With the extra money generated, they decided to use it to take children with disabilities down to the coast.

It was so popular it became an annual event, with Troon chosen as the destination from 1946 onwards.

It’s all made possible by donations from the public, the generosity of the taxi drivers and everyone involved in helping to organise the day out.

For more information, visit https://gtof.org.uk/