The deluge that led to flooding across the UK last winter was the most extreme on record, scientists say.

Heavy rain and gales devastated parts of Scotland over Christmas and New Year, washing away bridges and destroying homes.

The three months between November and January were the wettest since records began and the rivers Nith, Tweed, Clyde, Forth and Tay all hit record highs, climatologists have reported.

Scotland experienced 51% more rainfall than average in November, 104% more in December and 54% more in January, according to a new report from the National Hydrological Monitoring Programme.

Some parts of Scotland recorded their monthly average rainfall in the first week of January.

Terry Marsh from the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology said: "At a national scale the winter floods of 2015/16 were the most extreme on record.

"The November to January period was the wettest three-month sequence in the UK rainfall series.

"Correspondingly, river flows across much of the country exceeded bankfull for extended periods.

"The associated flooding was both extensive and repetitive and total river outflows from Great Britain following the passage of Storm Desmond in December exceeded the previous maximum by a substantial margin."