Net migration from the EU to the UK has fallen to its lowest level in almost six years, official figures show.

Nicola Sturgeon said the statistics were "not good news for Scotland", which revealed an estimated 74,000 more EU nationals came to live in the country for at least 12 months than left in the year to June.

The figure is the lowest since the year ending September 2012, when it stood at 65,000.

Non-EU net migration, meanwhile, has reached its highest since 2004, with 248,000 more non-EU citizens arriving than departing, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

Overall, net long-term international migration was 273,000 - down on previous years but still almost three times the UK Government's target of less than 100,000.

Responding to the figures, the First Minister tweeted: "This is not good news for Scotland, given our real need to attract skills and talent to work here.

"Another tangible example of Tory ideology actively harming Scotland's national interests."

The Scottish Government has been calling for immigration powers to be devolved to Holyrood to safeguard the Scottish economy against the effects of Brexit.

Jay Lindop, director of the ONS's centre for international migration, said: "Net migration continues to add to the population and has remained fairly stable since its peak in 2016.

"However, there are different patterns for EU and non-EU migration.

"Due to increasing numbers arriving for work and study, non-EU net migration is now at the highest level since 2004.

"In contrast, EU net migration, while still adding to the population as a whole, is at the lowest since 2012."