Archaeologists have discovered Scotland's oldest human settlement.

The find - which dates back 14,000 years - was made by a local archeology group in Biggar, South Lanarkshire.

A large scattering of flints was first found in the field a few years ago but it was initially thought to be a late Neolithic, and later an Iron Age settlement following radiocarbon dating of charcoal found there. However recent analysis of more of the flints revealed that they were in fact close to the end of the Old Stone Age. (The drawing includes some of the flints found in Biggar.)

It is thought the site, in a field north of the town, may have been a camp used by hunters following migrating herds of reindeer or wild horses.

The Biggar Archaeology Group plan to carry out further excavations at the site to see what other artefacts they can find.

The group's leader Tam Ward said: "It is impossible to go further back in time in Scotland for evidence of human occupation, making this a hugely significant find."

Alan Saville, senior curator at the National Museums of Scotland, said: "It is a breakthrough that we've been hoping to find for years and years.

"We always thought that there must be Upper Palaeolithic occupation in Scotland but we never actually found material which was conclusive enough to say we've got it, so it is a breakthrough that we can say there's absolutely no doubt that people were here. We've pushed back the date of human settlement in Scotland by about 3,000 years."

Previously the earliest evidence of human habitation in Scotland was thought to be at Cramond near Edinburgh, which had been radiocarbon dated to around 8400BC.  There are older UK sites than this latest find, however, around the north Midlands.

Local SNP MSP Aileen Campbell said: "To know there is hard evidence that human beings had settled in the Biggar area some 14,000 years ago is quite inspiring, and helps put modern life into a bit of perspective.

"The hard work and dedication shown by the Biggar Archaeology group led by Tam Ward is fantastic - they have contributed a huge piece to Scotland's story for which they should be immensely proud."