A man is fighting for his life after an attempted murder outside a pub.

The assault happened on Green Street in Saltcoats, North Ayrshire, outside the Four Seasons bar.

A 66-year-old man was taken to Crosshouse Hospital in Kilmarnock in a critical condition.

A Police Scotland spokeswoman said: "At around 7.30pm on Tuesday, police were called to a report of a man being seriously injured during an altercation in Green Street, Saltcoats.

"Emergency services attended and the 66-year-old victim was taken by ambulance to Crosshouse Hospital where medical staff describe his condition as critical.

"The incident is being treated as attempted murder."

A Scottish Ambulance Service spokesman added: "We dispatched one ambulance and a paramedic response unit to the scene."