A new group aimed at persuading Scotland's young people to vote Yes in the independence referendum has been launched.

Organisers say Generation Yes will be the "largest youth movement that Scotland has ever seen".

School pupils, students and young people from across the country gathered in Glasgow city centre today for the launch of the new group.

With 16 and 17-year-olds able to vote in the September 18 referendum, they targeted young shoppers as they handed out leaflets in Buchanan Street.

Toni Giugliano, sectoral groups adviser at the pro-independence Yes Scotland group, said: 'With less than six months to go, we're launching the most dynamic and vibrant group of our campaign. Generation Yes will be the largest youth movement Scotland has ever seen.

"Young people have grown up with Holyrood - that's what they're used to - and they know that the Scottish Parliament will always make the best decisions for Scotland."

He added: "Independence is what we all want in life. That's why young people will grasp the opportunity to take charge of their country, as they would do with their own lives and their own future.

"Young people have the opportunity to reject Westminster's inequality, illegal wars and nuclear weapons, and become the generation that creates a fairer country."

Angus Millar, 20, an international relations student of International Relations at St Andrews University said: "The biggest gains of a Yes vote will be felt by my generation, and it's the teens and twenty-somethings who have the biggest stake in building a better Scotland with independence."

He described Generation Yes as being a "Scotland-wide movement bringing together young people who see their future being best served in an independent nation".

He added: "A Yes is for our future - an opportunity to realise this country's potential and ensure we have the best possible prospects, individually and as a nation."

Glasgow schoolgirl Saffron Dickson, 16, said: "September's referendum is a hugely exciting opportunity for young people in Scotland - it's our chance to be the generation that takes our future into our own hands and stands up to inequality and unfairness in our society."

Joe Higgins, 17, a school pupil from Edinburgh, said: "With 16 and 17-year-olds having a vote, it's absolutely vital that Scotland's young people get involved in the referendum debate. The decision Scotland makes will have the biggest bearing on our futures, and our generation has the most to gain from a Yes vote.

"We want to reach young people all over Scotland, and we'll be holding events around the country to get people involved and explain the fantastic opportunity that we have to build a fairer, more successful country with independence."

But a spokesman for the pro-UK Better Together campaign said: "This is typical of the nationalists. They launch a group and claim it is going to be the biggest thing in the world ever. They don't need to evidence this. If they said it, then it must be so. It is ludicrous.

"We launched our youth programme well over a year ago and we already have hundreds of young people taking part in events across the country."