A funeral directors has launched an appeal to reunite families with the uncollected ashes of loved ones.

Fosters Family Funeral Directors said more than 150 sets of ashes have been left unclaimed at its parlours across Scotland, with some dating as far back as 2005.

And the company said, with Christmas approaching, it is keen to raise awareness about those ashes which have not yet been claimed.

Lorna Montgomery, branch manager of Fosters, said: "There can be many reasons why ashes are not collected immediately.

"In some instances we are asked to keep them so they can be scattered alongside the ashes of another family member at a later date.

"However, funerals can be hard for grieving families, and sometimes coming in to collect ashes can prove difficult. There are also cases where people have simply moved address and it can be challenging for us to trace them.

"We would love to help reunite people with the ashes of their loved ones, especially at this time of year and that's why we are calling on families to get in touch."

Anyone who would like more information about unclaimed ashes can contact their local Fosters funeral parlour or call the 24-hour care line on 0800 121 8090.