Unions have delayed strikes across Scotland's colleges to resume negotiations.

The move follows two days of strike action last month in the country's 20 colleges.

The row centres on the pay rise for 2016 as lecturing staff were given an increase of £450 while support staff were offered £230.

Unison Scotland and GMB announced on Wednesday they will delay the strike action to resume talks held through the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (Acas).

Strike action planned for later this month will now take place on November 8 and 9 if talks fail to reach a resolution, the unions stated.

After the previous industrial action was announced, Colleges Scotland described the pay offer as "fair and reasonable" while it stated the strike was "penalising students".

Action short of strike action will continue with support staff withdrawing from acting in the additional roles of first aider, fire marshal and evacuation officer.

John Gallacher, Unison regional organiser, said: "Many colleges are struggling and failing to comply with health and safety regulations.

"Some are employing illegal agency staff to provide essential daily first aid provision. Unison does not believe that colleges will be safe places for young learners and staff when they re-open after half term.

"We already had one report of a Unison first aider having to 'break the strike' to assist with a student who had fallen and split their head."

Cal Waterson, GMB full time official, said: "This is a simple dispute about equality of treatment and fair pay.

"Low paid women workers should not have been forced out on strike and to lose pay in order to fight for equal pay. GMB calls on the further education employers to resolve this pay dispute now."

College strikes were originally planned to go ahead on October 26 and 27.

Shona Struthers, Chief Executive of the Colleges Scotland, previously criticised the unions over the strike action on September 27.

She said: "All college support staff will benefit from what we contend is a fair and reasonable offer. For instance, those earning £22,000 or less will gain a 3.6% increase over two years which is well above inflation and public sector pay policy.

"The time for strikes has surely come to an end as they are only penalising students. We encourage the trade unions to be mindful of current public sector finances and move forward to jointly develop the college sector's workforce for the future."