The Spanish Prime Minister has formally demanded Catalonia clarifies if independence from Spain has been declared.

In a veiled threat, Mariano Rajoy said this was required before the Spanish government can decide what to do next.

Catalan leader Carles Puigdemont announced the region was an independent state on Tuesday following a referendum vote - but suspended suspended this for a "few weeks"pending further talks with the Spanish government.

But central government in Madrid said it did not accept the declaration and deemed the referendum and its results to be invalid.

Some 2.3 million Catalans - 43% of the region - turned out to vote in the independence referendum, which the Spanish government said was illegal.

Regional authorities declared the vote valid and said 90% who voted were in favour of independence.

But the ballot was marred by violence with around 900 voters and 33 police officers injured as they clashed.

In one instance a woman was seen being dragged away from a polling booth by her hair.

Mr Puigdemont condemned the central government's "aggressive" behaviour in trying to stop the vote.

In the days since the outlawed vote, thousands have taken to the streets of Barcelona, as well as Madrid and other towns and cities, to express their views whether for or against independence.

Madrid had previously said it would seek to imprison the President if he sought independence and said it will block any moves towards secession.

Spain's deputy prime minister Soraya Saenz de Santamaria said the Catalan leader "doesn't know where he is, where he is going and with whom he wants to go".

She said Mr Puigdemont had put Catalonia "in the greatest level of uncertainty seen yet".