DAMIEN HENDERSON, CAROLYN CHURCHILL, ALISON CAMPSIE AND RUTH GILLBE

For the thousands of Glaswegians who had gathered in halls and sports arenas across the city, it was the first note of silence they had heard for an hour. As Mike Fennell, the Commonwealth Games Federation president, stepped up to the podium in Sri Lanka to announce the recipient of the 2014 Games, the cheers and slightly nervous expectant whoops that had accompanied the pre-announcement build-up finally died down to nothing.

Then followed bedlam. After they heard the word Glasgow, few people waited to hear the rest of the announcement.

For the crowds of schoolchildren, VIPs and ordinary citizens, some of whom who had waited up to two-and-a-half years to hear this, there was no longer any reason to hold back.

In Tollcross, in Glasgow's east end, where around 2000 pupils from local primary and secondary schools had gathered around the Olympic swimming pool which will be used - and transformed - for 2014, the sharp acoustics of the room were immediately pierced by the histrionic din of children's screams. Members of the bid team and poolside attendants alike jumped, cheered and hugged each other.

At the city's Old Fruitmarket, where some 1200 athletes, politicians, music stars and supporters had gathered, a deafening cheer went up, indoor fireworks were set off and confetti filled the hall as those on stage and in the audience celebrated.

Jack McConnell, the former first minister, shared a hug with Deputy First Minister and political rival Nicola Sturgeon as the words "We Did It" flashed up on the large screen behind the stage and The Proclaimers' hit song I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles) was played.

Similar scenes were repeated in the Kelvin Hall Sports Arena and Scotstoun Leisure Centre, both in the city's west end, where thousands of schoolchildren were celebrating on a special day out from classes.

For George Ryan, the council's executive member for development and regeneration, the youngsters' place in the day's events was central. The Shettleston councillor will now see significant sums of money developing sporting facilities in his east end ward, one of the UK's most deprived.

He said: "The really big legacy of these Games, apart from the physical and economic regeneration, will be in the enthusiasm among Glasgow's young people.

"If we can transform their expectations of what they can do, that will be a huge achievement."

Jordan Robertson, a 10-year-old pupil from Wellshot Primary in Tollcross, may have missed some of the regeneration-speak popular with the civic leaders, but he missed none of the meaning. "It'll mean that other people from other countries in the world will come in and do all the different things," he said.

"We'll get richer and be able to buy new things and build new sports buildings."

His classmates were already fancying their chances as future Commonwealth competitors. Peter Geaty, also 10, said: "I think it's brilliant because there'll be lots of people coming here thinking that Glasgow is a brilliant city and Scotland a brilliant country.

"I'd like to do running or the javellin, maybe the long jump." He admitted he hadn't ever thrown a javelin, but added: "I've seen it on telly and I think I'd be good at it."

Some of the bigger Glasgow events experienced a slightly surreal moment as a technical blip in the BBC's live feed meant that the first people to hear the announcement were those listening to hand-held radios or mobile phones.

At the city's Central Station, the first sign of Glasgow's success were the jubilant screams of three girls which echoed around the expectant silence of thousands of other observers. Similarly, at the Old Fruitmarket, Patricia Ferguson MSP was part of a vanguard of people to jump up and cheer before everyone else.

But the rest quickly caught up. The silent expressions of dejection among the Abuja delegation and the elated face of Alex Salmond conveyed the moment with an immediacy which more than made up for the lack of sound.

The celebrations followed a carefully orchestrated build-up by Glasgow City Council, the 2014 bid team and companies such as First Scotrail, which ensured that bus and rail passengers were relayed news of the city's success almost immediately. Taxi drivers, likewise, were told the good news over their radio systems and some blasted their horns with glee.

Stephen Cameron, a Glaswegian living in Motherwell who was in Central Station as the bid result was announced, said: "Brilliant it is. It's going to be brilliant for the city, brilliant for the people. It'll be on a par with Manchester's Games."

Carol McKenzie, 66, from Govanhill, said she had a particular interest in the games because her nephew, Robert Thomson, had won two silver medals in the Paralympics. "I took the week off work then to support him and his girlfriend, who was also taking part," she said.

Todd Cooper, the swimmer who won bronze as part of the 4x100m relay team at the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne and has seen an increasing chunk of his life over the last 15 months dedicated to promoting Glasgow's bid, said he was surprised by how emotional he felt.

"It was built up to be such a close race against Abuja, who put in a serious run for it," he said. "At the end of the day, I think delegates voted with their heads. Glasgow already has some of the world's classiest venues - they were thinking of the athletes when they voted for us."

At the Old Fruitmarket, the Strathclyde Police Pipe Band and Treacherous Orchestra entertained the audience in the hour before the announcement and Ms Sturgeon, Alex McLeish, and Liz Cameron, the former provost, were among those who took to the stage to address the crowd.

Singer Amy Macdonald, who is from Glasgow, performed on stage and said she had a "lump in her throat" while watching DVDs of Glasgow and Scotland which had been shown to delegates from the Commonwealth countries. Deacon Blue then graced the stage to play some of their most popular hits as the celebrations continued.

Former track athlete Yvonne Murray, who competed in Edinburgh in 1986, said: "Standing on stage hearing that announcement was like winning an Oscar. It is superb for Scotland. It was a world-class bid that was put in with 110% effort. It was wonderful to be part of that."

Long-distance medallist Liz McColgan added: "It is so exciting for youngsters, I wish I was 16 again. This gives us the opportunity to stop worrying about the bid. We now have to be prepared to have the best Games ever."

Ms Sturgeon said it was time for Scotland to showcase its talents. "Maybe the days of being plucky losers are coming to an end," she said. "We have proved that we can be winners.

"The moment of the announcement seemed like an eternity, but it's a great result and well-deserved."

Young Scouts were among those celebrating. Hockey player Jay Cheyne, 15, from Pollokshields, said having the Games in Scotland would add impetus to her desire to compete in 2014.

She said: "I hope to be competing in Scotland. It will boost my confidence to go into it knowing that I will have my family and friends to help me around the Games."

Kevin Lynch, 16, from Sandyhills, added: "It has been a great atmosphere, just amazing."

Liz Cameron, chairwoman of Culture and Sport Glasgow, said: "We dreamed of this day. This is a vindication and a seal of commendation for all that Glasgow has done over the past two decades. Now is the chance to show that Glasgow and Scotland can work together to put on a fantastic Games."

Adrenaline was running off the scale at Kelvin Hall as 1300 children poured into the arena to fuel the build-up to the announcement. Screams of support from those who will be young adults at the time of the 2014 Games ripped through the sports hall, taking the volume to blistering levels. Booming techno music pumped up the atmosphere further as a show of young gymnasts from schools all across Glasgow took to the floor for a demonstration.

The flips and tumbles on show were akin to the stomach motions of some of the council leaders waiting to watch the live announcement on the big screen. Gordon Matheson, executive member for education, said it was "almost unbearable". He added: "I have had butterflies in my stomach for the last five days."

When the announcement came, it was a rare moment of boundless joy that had grown men leaping, adults weeping, and youngsters taken to the brink of emotional explosion.

"I am shaking, I have tears in my eyes I am absolutely overjoyed,"

said Mr Matheson, before sweeping up a colleague for a quick twirl to the strains of Queen's Don't Stop Me Now.

For councillor Aileen Colleran, there was the prospect of cutting short a planned public meeting at Whiteinch community hall despite the elations of the day. She said: "I feel like walking in and saying, scrap the agenda - let's go to the pub!' Glasgow will be celebrating today."