Shops selling e-cigarettes across North Ayrshire are failing to comply with recent government regulations.

The council's Trading Standards team carried out inspections of local retailers and found most were failing to comply with legislation introduced earlier this year.

The Health (Tobacco, Nicotine etc. and Care) (Scotland) Act 2016 started regulating the sale of e-cigarettes April 2017.

After an initial education phase, enforcement by local authorities started on October 1.

During the inspections, liquids were found to be over the prescribed strength and some shops were selling e-cigarettes that were nine months out of date.

Senior manager of protective services Scott McKenzie said: "It is clearly disappointing that most retailers are still not following the legislation introduced earlier this year.

"There was always going to be an initial phase where shop owners were getting used to the new guidelines, but it is clear that more work now needs to be done."