THOUSANDS of Taylor Swift fans descended on Wembley ahead of her Eras Tour gig at the national stadium over the weekend.

The American pop star played three nights, starting on Friday and finishing on Sunday night, before she returns in August to play five more concerts.

Fans began arriving at the venue from the early hours on Friday, eager to soak up the atmosphere of a memorable performance for the Shake It Off singer.

Lauren Robinson, 20, who had travelled from Cheshire, and her friend Grace Arnold, 24, who had travelled from Wirral were among those already at the London stadium.

Speaking before the show started, the pair said they knew they had to see the first night when the run of concerts was announced and were hoping for a London-themed surprise in her set.

Ms Robinson said: “Coming to the capital has got to be the best place to see the tour.”

Ms Arnold said: “We’re hoping she’ll announce Reputation or do a little secret song like London Boy.”

Ms Robinson responded: “It’s just, why wouldn’t you come here? It’s the best place to come and watch a concert really.

“I mean, look at everything London has done for it, it’s great, I don’t think you’d get that anywhere else, would you?”

The gig will be Ms Arnold’s first Swift concert but Ms Robinson has already had a taste of the Eras Tour, having seen her in Liverpool.

Ms Robinson said of the Liverpool performance: “It was absolutely crazy, I think you go in there and you are apprehensive about what it is going to be like, but everyone is so friendly.

“It’s like going to a party with all your best friends.”

Ms Arnold said she was most looking forward to the Folklore set (Swift’s eighth studio album), but said the potential surprise songs “actually make me feel sick to think about”.

Fans of the singer have also travelled from across the globe to watch Swift deliver her three-hour Eras set in London, including long-distance friends Filip, who travelled from Croatia, and Bailey, who flew all the way from Florida.

Speaking about why they had come to London, Bailey: “I can’t wait to see Taylor, this is like the best show to go to.”

Filip added: “It feels special, dazzling and magic here.”

Meanwhile, friends Rachel and Yan travelled from Ipswich in Suffolk to see the show.

Rachel said: “We’re so excited to be here, I’m hoping to hear the OG (original) songs from the first album.”

Alongside wanting to hear tracks from Swift’s 2006 self-titled debut, they pair said they were particularly looking forward to hearing hits from her second 2008 album Fearless.

The pair have been fans since childhood and said Swift’s Fearless album (her second studio album) was the first they could remember listening to.