Scots witnesses have told how they were caught up in the confusion surrounding the terror attacks in Brussels which killed at least 21 people.

MEP Catherine Stihler was among scores of MEPs placed on immediate security lockdown as the Belgian capital's airport and a city centre metro were targeted on Tuesday morning.

The politician was in a meeting at the Dutch Embassy just yards away from the Maalbeek metro when a bomb went off there.

She said: "I'm locked down in the Dutch Embassy just now and have been for the morning.

"There are around 20 of us here for a working breakfast. The embassy is very near the Maalbeek Metro station.

"We are in the back of the building so have not really seen or heard anything. I have been in contact with my team and they are all okay, they've been checking with me as well.

"It is pretty chaotic and we may be here for some time. This is just about the safest place to be, but my heart goes out to the families of those who have been killed - it is terrible."

Fellows Scots MEP Ian Duncan said: " I have a group of students from St Andrews University and the Scottish Conservative Women’s Council visiting.

"All are safe and we have chartered a bus to take them to Brussels' other airport tomorrow to get them home safely.

"Myself and my staff regularly use Maalbeek metro station, but thankfully everyone is safe.

He added: "I’m beginning to lose confidence in the Belgian approach. The Paris attacks suspect who was captured last week was found 100 metres from where the police investigation began in November."

European Parliament worker Andrew Bowie, 28, from Inverurie, told Aberdeen's Evening Express he and his wife narrowly escaped the blasts.

“It has been surreal, I’m rattled. I got to work, and we were getting ready for a minute’s silence for the casualties at the airport, when we hear the second attack.

“Maalbeek is the main metro for the parliament here, just a few hundred yards away."

Gillian McLaughlin, a manager at the European Commission’s Creative Europe programme in Brussels, said: “I had heard about the explosions at the airport when I was just about to leave then took the normal metro to work.

“I came through Maalbeek about ten minutes or so before the explosion. I didn’t hear it but we must have been on the last train before it happened so it does feel very close.

“We have been told to stay at work if we are at work and stay at home if we are at home. Everything is on lockdown.

“I think it could have been a lot worse but for the timing. A lot of people are on holiday for Easter and it missed rush hour.”

Meanwhile all flights between Scotland and Brussels were suspended.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, speaking at a conference on policing, said her thoughts were with those affected by the attacks.

She said: "My thoughts are with everybody caught up in these events and indeed with the people of Belgium.

"It is a stark reminder of the importance of work we are doing to tackle hate crime and to strengthen diversity and community cohesion."

Chief Constable Phil Gormley, talking at the same conference, told STV News the Brussels attacks were 'utterly appalling'.

He said uniformed visible police presence will be put in place in Scotland and security procedures will be reviewed.

Lord Advocate Frank Mullholland will review if the number of hate crimes in Scotland rise in light of attacks in Brussels.

He said he expects there could be an increase as there was after terrorist attacks in Paris.