A statue of Indian civil rights campaigner Muhatma Gandhi has been unveiled in Ayrshire to mark the 150th anniversary of his birth.

The bronze statue, the first of Gandhi in Scotland, was presented to Ayr Town Hall by the Indian government's Council for Cultural Relations.

Standing at 6ft 4ins tall and weighing 400kg it is one of ten to be unveiled throughout the world including Bern in Switzerland.

A plaque to be hung beside the statue highlights the famous phrase from Gandhi "There is no way to peace, peace is the way".

Chief Inspector Brian Anderson, from South Ayrshire police joined Councillor Helen Moonie, Provost of South Ayrshire, Anju Ranjan, Consul General of India to Scotland and other local dignitaries to celebrate the unveiling on Saturday morning.

Guests enjoyed some Indian music and dance as well as music from Dundonald Primary School Gaelic Choir and the Ayrshire Fiddle Orchestra.

Gandhi, Indian independence campaigner and one of the world's most famous peaceful political dissidents, was assassinated in New Delhi in 1948.