The director of Edinburgh's Hogmanay celebrations has announced he is stepping down after more than two decades.

Pete Irvine, who founded the company Unique Events in 1992, described the latest new year party as one of the most successful yet and said it seemed like the "right time" to step back.

The events to welcome in 2016 were completely sold out, attracting visitors from more than 80 countries.

Mr Irvine said: "Almost 25 years ago it was my great privilege to be given the opportunity to create a new event - or festival, as I subsequently proposed - to encompass the then ad hoc Hogmanay gathering and to celebrate the midnight moment in a way more fitting for Scotland's capital city.

"As I saw it, it was also an opportunity to light up the dark and curiously empty days around new year and to show a new side and edge to a city whose cultural credentials were most closely associated with its August festivals."

The Hogmanay celebration was launched by Edinburgh City Council in 1993.

Richard Lewis, the local authority's current festivals and events champion, said: "Under Pete Irvine's creative direction 'the bells' have been transformed into a world-famous three-day festival that has set the standard for global new year celebrations with numerous major cities following our lead."

Unique Events and Edinburgh's Hogmanay will continue under directors Penny Dougherty and Alan Thomson.

Mr Irvine will remain with the company as creative director of New Year's Day arts programme Scot:Lands and as an artistic consultant on other new projects.