Scotland's local environment is in decline, with littering, flytipping and graffiti all on the increase, according to a report.

Keep Scotland Beautiful said the environmental quality of Scotland has been deteriorating since 2012, with negative effects on health and wellbeing as well as the tourist trade.

The charity's report noted rises in litter, dog fouling, flytipping, graffiti, detritus, weed growth and flyposting over the past five years, and called for a national strategy to address the problem.

Chief executive Derek Robertson said: "This is an important report in the long history of action to improve Scotland's environment.

"In a country where we owe so much of our economy to attracting visitors from across the globe, and where civic and social justice are so important to our national sense of wellbeing, this report makes it clear that we can no longer stand by and watch whilst standards are clearly starting to decline.

"We can now confirm that overall deterioration has begun, and the trend will be firmly downward unless remedial strategic action is taken quickly.

"We all have a part to play, in changing the behaviour of those in our society who act irresponsibly and create the problem, and in supporting the national effort that is required to make a real difference across the length and breadth of Scotland."

The report is set to be the focus of a national conference that will bring together a range of environmental organisations facing the challenge of reversing the decline despite financial challenges.

Mr Robertson said a "more strategic, integrated and coordinated approach" would be needed to improve standards.

He added: "We are calling for an overarching plan, which involves the public and private sectors, along with communities, to maximise the results of that effort.

"Environmental quality needs priority attention. The evidence outlined in this report suggests that with political will, leadership and shared strategic action, we can reverse the deterioration and make sure that action to improve the environmental quality of Scotland really is prioritised.

"The time to act is now."