The 20th edition of the Island Games open in Orkney later this afternoon (Saturday).

Team Isle of Man are among 24 island nations and nearly 2,000 competing athletes taking part in this week’s games in the North Sea archipelago.

The opening ceremony, which is being co-hosted by daytime TV presenter Lorraine Kelly and presided over by The Princess Royal, Princess Anne begins at 5pm.

Athletes will then parade through the capital Kirkwall, finishing at St Magnus Cathedral.

Flag bearer for the island will be Laura Kinley who will be competing in her seventh Games when the swimming competition get under way on Monday (July 14).

The Isle of Man’s 153 competitors will take part in 11 of the 12 sports on offer at the latest edition of the biennial event. The sporting action gets underway on Sunday morning.

- Media Isle of Man’s coverage of the Island Games is sponsored by Benbridge Academy.