By Holly Jones

More women than ever before in Scotland are becoming their own boss - and Edinburgh has the most, according to a new study.

The Federation of Small Businesses says there are now 95,000 self-employed women in Scotland.

Nearly 10,000 women work for themselves in the capital, more than any other local authority area in the country.

Melissa McConnell left her job to launch her own business after finding it difficult to juggle her family life with the nine-to-five grind.

Melissa now hires space at Tribe Porty, which helps women get their businesses off the ground.

She said: "I had a typically corporate career but about four years after my kids were born I found it very difficult.

"I never imagined in my wildest dreams that I'd be an entrepreneur, in my mind that was not something I was set out to be.

"You need an idea, you need support around you, but if you're willing to take that risk and go for it then anything is possible."

The figures were revealed by the FSB ahead of an address by Scottish small business owners by First Minister Nicola Sturgeon.

She said: "These figures illustrate that self-employed women are making a huge contribution to local economies and communities across the country.

"But I also know that being your own boss isn't easy."

In the capital, Tribe Porty provides women who are just starting out or freelancing a space to work to make their entrepreneurial dream a reality.

Dani Trudeau, its founder said: "I think women now have the confidence to start new things, put themselves out there in a different way or ask for different working arrangements that suit them better.

"I think that's always been there but momentum is building."

Official figures show that that there are 94,900 self-employed women in Scotland, 5.4 per cent of the working age population.

But Scottish men are much more likely to be their own boss than their female counterparts with 183,300 Scottish men self-employed, equivalent to 11 per cent of the working age population.