Glasgow has been named as the only Scottish city which is breaching safety levels for air pollution.

Scotland's largest city was among 11 across the UK and Ireland with poor air quality, the World Health Organisation (WHO) said.

The global health body assesses air quality in a number of ways, including by examining the levels of a type of pollution known as particulate matter (PMs).

Cities including London, Leeds, Nottingham and Oxford were also found to have breached the safe limit set for PM10.

In addition, more than 40 towns and cities across the UK and Ireland breached the safe levels for another measure known as PM2.5.

WHO said that across the world, 80% of cities that measure outdoor air pollution are failing to meet its guidance for safe levels of air quality.

As air quality declines, the risk of stroke, heart disease, lung cancer, and chronic and acute respiratory diseases, including asthma, increases for the people who live in these areas, the health body said.

It said that ambient air pollution, made of high concentrations of small and fine particulate matter, is the greatest environmental risk to health, causing more than 3 million premature deaths around the world every year.

Dr Maria Neira, director of the department of public health, environmental and social determinants of health at WHO, said: "Urban air pollution continues to rise at an alarming rate, wreaking havoc on human health.

"At the same time, awareness is rising and more cities are monitoring their air quality. When air quality improves, global respiratory and cardiovascular-related illnesses decrease."

Jenny Bates, Friends of the Earth air pollution campaigner, called for more action from political leaders.

She said: "This is a public health crisis. It's time it was treated that way. We need fewer and cleaner vehicles with a Clean Air Zone in every city and large town - and politicians must urgently introduce a diesel scrappage scheme to get the worst polluting vehicles off our roads, as well as more investment in alternatives to driving."

Patrick Harvie, Scottish Green MSP for Glasgow, said:"Another year, another dire warning about Glasgow's toxic air.

"This was one of the first issues I raised when I was elected 13 years ago, and there has never been anything close to a serious attempt by local or national government to get a grip of the situation.

"For all those years it's been clear that Glasgow's appalling air quality is harming the health of those who live here and those who visit our city. We urgently need bold measures to reduce traffic levels and create safer streets for walking and cycling, as is the norm in other European cities.

"If the First Minister agrees this situation needs closer attention, I'd urge whoever she appoints as transport minister in her new cabinet to make it a priority."