Austria's far-right presidential candidate has conceded defeat and urged the country to "work together".

In a Facebook message, Mr Hofer, who ran for the anti-immigration Freedom Party, thanked his supporters and congratulated his rival, urging people to "pull together and work together".

"We are all Austrians, no matter how we decided at the ballot box," he added.

He had hoped to become Europe's first free-elected far-right head of state since the Second World War.

Hofer's campaign manager Herbert Kickl had already conceded defeat as predictions when polls closed put independent Alexander Van der Bellen ahead - slamming "the establishment".