New York's world-famous Empire State Building is to be lit up with the colours of the Scottish saltire for the first time.

The iconic skyscraper on the Big Apple's skyline will turn blue and white on April 6 to coincide with the 20th anniversary of the city's Tartan Week celebrations.

Tartan Week is an annual celebration of the links between Scotland and the United States which has been held every April since 1998.

Scottish settlers built some of the most well-renowned buildings in New York City including Carnegie Hall, Penn Station and even the Empire State Building itself.

The Empire State Building has previously been illuminated in the colours of every nation that competes in the Olympics.

However, because Scotland competes as part of Team GB at the winter and summer Olympics, it has had to wait until now for the honour.

The New York Tartan Day Parade brings 30,000 spectators to the Big Apple to watch as 3500 participants march from 44th Street to 55th Street up Sixth Avenue.

The procession is made up of pipers, drummers, full pipe bands, highland dancers and even Scottie dogs.

Scots singer KT Tunstall will be the first ever female grand marshal to lead the parade.

Kyle Dawson, president of the New York Tartan Day Committee, said: "To celebrate our 20th year, we already had a fantastic week planned - with ceilidhs, family fun, live music and our affectionately named Highland Fling singles night taking place, before our world-famous New York Tartan Day Parade closes the show.

"Now this exciting news - that the Empire State Building will welcome visiting Scots by shining the saltire proudly for the first time ever - really does make this our biggest and best year yet."