Dundee will not be able to compete in the European Capital of Culture 2023 competition due to Brexit.

The city will not be considered for the award after the European Commission said it "would not be possible".

In a letter to the Department of Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), it said the UK's selection process should "immediately be discontinued".

Dundee submitted its bid for the accolade on October 26, with a ceremony being held outside the Caird Hall.

Nottingham, Leeds, Milton Keynes and Belfast/Derry also wanted to become the capital of culture.

A European Commission spokeswoman said: "The position is that the UK will have left the EU by March 2019 and therefore will be unable to host the European Capital of Culture 2023.

"The commission believes it is common sense for UK cities to discontinue the process and I can confirm that a letter has been sent by Martine Reicherts (EC director-general) setting this out.

"Other countries who are not of the EU have taken part in the past but they have been part of the European economic area or the European Free Trade Association."

A DCMS spokeswoman said: "The Prime Minister has been clear that while we are leaving the EU, we are not leaving Europe and this has been welcomed by EU leaders.

"We want to continue working with our friends in Europe to promote the long-term economic development of our continent, which may include participating in cultural programmes.

"We remain committed to working with the five UK cities that have submitted bids to help them realise their cultural ambitions and we are in urgent discussions with the commission on the matter."

A Dundee 2023 bid spokeswoman said: "The bid team are urgently seeking clarification on what this statement will mean for the Dundee bid and we will be speaking to the department for digital, culture, media and sport as soon as possible."