No criminal charges will take place as a result of the Glasgow bin lorry tragedy, prosecutors have revealed.

The Crown Office confirmed it will hold a Fatal Accident Inquiry (FAI) into the incident - which left six people dead - but neither the driver of the lorry nor Glasgow City Council will face prosecution.

It comes after a police investigation report was submitted to the Crown at the end of last month for consideration by senior prosecutors.

They found there is "no evidence to suggest that the driver's conduct at the time amounted to a breach of the criminal law".

The Crown Office will now apply to Glasgow Sheriff Court within the next two weeks for dates to be set down for the FAI.

However, a clerk at the court confirmed that it could still be some time before the actual inquiry begins.

A Crown Office statement said: "Following the road traffic incident involving a bin lorry in Glasgow City Centre on December 22, 2014, a Police Scotland inquiry, under the direction of the Crown Office, began immediately into the cause of the crash in which six people died and ten were injured.

"The Police report has now been carefully considered by Crown Counsel - the most senior lawyers within the Crown Office.

"Crown Counsel have concluded that the driver of the lorry should not be prosecuted in respect of this tragic incident.

"Despite its catastrophic consequences there is no evidence to suggest that the driver's conduct at the time amounted to a breach of the criminal law.

"There is no evidence to support a prosecution of Glasgow City Council in respect of any Health and Safety concerns breaches in Health and Safety law."

The statement added: "Crown Counsel have decided that a Fatal Accident Inquiry should be held into the causes of this tragedy to ensure that there can be a full public hearing of the facts of the case.

"The Crown Office will petition the court within two weeks of today's decision to hold an FAI to ensure that the inquiry is held as soon as possible."

Teacher Stephenie Tait, 29, from Glasgow and student Erin McQuade, 18, and her grandparents Lorraine, 69, and Jack Sweeney, 68, from Dumbarton, were all killed in the crash.

Tax worker Jacqueline Morton, 51, from Glasgow and 52-year-old Gillian Ewing, from Edinburgh, also died.

Just days after the incident, Mr and Mrs Sweeney's nephew Marc Gardiner said he did not blame driver Harry Clarke for what happened.

Mr Clarke, 58, is understood to have fallen unconscious at the wheel and cannot remember anything about the crash.

The investigation into the tragedy was overseen by the specialist Scottish Fatalities Investigation Unit (SFIU) within Crown Office.

The head of SFIU, David Green, will now lead the preparation for the FAI, including liaising with the families of those involved to keep them fully informed.

They have already been notified about the decisions not to prosecute and to hold an FAI.

Lawyers acting for those affected by the tragedy welcomed the announcements and praised the Crown for acting swiftly so far.

Patrick McGuire, a solicitor with Thompsons, said: "This announcement from the Crown Office is very welcome.

"It begins the process of finding out what happened to cause this terrible accident which is of the greatest importance to the victims and their relatives.

"My clients and I are particularly heartened that the Crown has moved so quickly towards convening a Fatal Accident Inquiry.

"It has often been the case that years can pass before a FAI is set up, if indeed one is set up at all. Therefore the Crown Office is to be commended for it's swift action which reflects the huge public concern about this accident."

Elaine Russell, of solicitors Irwin Mitchell Scotland, added: "Through our work we know how desperate a huge number of people are for answers regarding how this terrible incident happened - not just those involved and the bereaved families, but the city of Glasgow as a whole.

"News of the FAI is very welcome but time is absolutely of the essence and the inquiry must happen as soon as possible. There remains a huge number of questions about what happened and it is key that action is taken to understand what can be done to prevent such a tragedy from ever occurring again."

Once the petition for the FAI is lodged at the court, a preliminary hearing will be held to establish if all parties involved are ready to proceed.

It is not uncommon for a number of these hearings to take place, especially in more complicated and lengthy inquiries.

Glasgow City Council said it will "provide any assistance that the inquiry needs".