A free self-management course aiming to improve quality of life for people living with chronic pain launched in Montrose on Monday.

The five-week course helps people to self-manage their pain, regardless of the cause or stage in their chronic pain journey.

Designed to be very relaxed, people can share their experiences and learn to understand pain and its impact on life, stress management, dealing with pain flare-ups and understanding medication.

Angus Health and Social Care Partnership primary care manager Rhona Guild said: "Self-management is an important approach to health that explores the things that you can do to improve the quality of your life despite a painful condition.

"It is not a replacement for medicine and doesn't provide direct pain relief, however, it helps lots of people to cope better with a difficult situation.

"Improved self-management of their condition can make a difference to people's lives and these afternoon sessions offer short, intense training in the self-management approach to chronic pain."