Thousands of elderly Scots are unable to leave their home because they fear falling, while more than one in 20 over-75s believe no-one would notice for days if they fell at home.

A report by WRVS lays bare what the older people's charity describes as the "devastating" psychological impact of falls.

It says 3250 Scottish people aged over 75 won't risk leaving their homes. Across the UK, 32% of over-75s who live alone have fallen in the last year, and 6% of those who fell were unable to get up for an hour or more.

Those who fell were injured in 62% of cases and 40% of these described their injuries as moderate or extensive.

In Scotland, 18% of older people who had suffered a fall in the last five years said they had lost their confidence, with 9% now feeling less independent.

Unsurprisingly, the problem is worse in the winter months, with almost half of older Scots (47%) saying they feel much more vulnerable to falling in winter.

WRVS is calling for older people worried about having a fall to contact the charity, which provides support services through its army of 40,000 volunteers.

Margaret Paterson, head of WRVS services in Scotland, said: "These really are bleak findings. With winter approaching, older people have little confidence to get out and about because they fear they will fall and, as this research shows, the psychological effects of worrying about a fall can be just as debilitating and devastating as physical injuries.

"We would urge anyone who isn't feeling confident about going out to get in touch with us as we can arrange a volunteer to accompany them on trips to the shops or for volunteer-run transport services that will give them back their independence."