Historic sites across Scotland had a surge in visitor numbers thanks to the hit television show Outlander.

Places featured in the series, such as Blackness Castle, have experienced a dramatic increase in footfall in comparison to the same period last year.

The announcement came as Outlander debuted on UK terrestrial television on More4 on Thursday. It has run for two series online on Amazon Prime.

Blackness Castle, which fans will recognise as Fort William in the series, has seen the most significant rise in visitors, up 72% from April 1 to June 25.

Doune Castle, famed for its role as the fictional Castle Leoch, recorded an impressive 50% increase for the same period.

Other sites which recorded increased visitor numbers after making a cameo appearance in the series include: Aberdour Castle with a 58% increase, Linlithgow Palace saw a 43% increase, and Glasgow Cathedral got 39% more visitors.

Stephen Duncan, director of commercial and tourism at Historic Environment Scotland, said: "I'm delighted to welcome this boost in visitor numbers as we continue to celebrate the Year of History, Heritage and Archaeology.

"This is an excellent return on the investment we have made across our estate. At Doune Castle, for example, after upgrading the visitor and retail offering, we have seen retail income increase 62% for the year to date.

"Featuring in Outlander has opened up our sites to a whole new audience, inspiring more and more visitors to come and discover the history behind these places, further demonstrating the enduring value and significance of heritage attractions in Scotland."

Fiona Hyslop, cabinet secretary for culture, tourism and external affairs, said: "It's fantastic to see that the international success of Outlander continues to draw visitors from around the world to visit treasured heritage sites like Doune Castle and Blackness Castle and find out more about Scotland's rich history and fascinating heritage.

"The TV drama showcases Scotland to international audiences and has helped strengthen the growth we're seeing in tourism from overseas.

"I'm delighted Scottish and UK audiences will now be able to watch Outlander on terrestrial TV, and look forward to seeing the impact on visitor numbers to the heritage sites that provide the stunning backdrop to the series."