The decline in house prices in Scotland continues - and no worse than in Inverclyde - according to new figures.

The average price across the nation was £140,318 between January and March - down 8.7% on the previous quarterly average, according to the Registers of Scotland.

In addition, the number of property sales has dropped by 57.1% in a year - and 38.7% over the last quarter of 2008.

The average house price is now down 6.6% compared with the same period last year.

The biggest drop over the year was in Inverclyde - which includes Greenock, Gourock and Inverkip - where prices fell 23.2% and the average cost of a home is now £103,505. Prices in this area went down by 13.5% over the last quarter.

Although prices are still highest in Edinburgh, they are down 10.1% on the same period last year to £187,289.

The capital remains the largest market with sales of just under £217million for the first quarter of the year. But this is down 60.9% over the same quarter last year and 43.5% over the previous quarter.

Only Angus, East Dunbartonshire, Falkirk, Moray and Orkney Islands council areas have shown increases in average property prices compared to the previous year.

Of the total property sales in Scotland, on average, 30% do not involve a mortgage.