Residents in a Scots town have been told there is no need to panic after an alarm from a petrochemical plant sounded late on Friday.

People in Grangemouth reported hearing an alarm that told them to "stay in their homes" at around 11.15pm, according to Heart Scotland.

Emergency services attended and investigated the cause of the warning, which caused "a lot of alarm" to those in the area, according to lead Scottish Greens candidate Gillian Mackay.

She wrote on Twitter: "Unfortunately a lot of alarm was caused. I hope a quick and thorough investigation into what has happened takes place.

"Given the pollution Grangemouth residents deal with daily the least they deserve is a properly functioning warning system."

Officers have since confirmed that the alarm was as a result of a system fault at a petrochemical plant. 

A Police Scotland spokeswoman said: “Around 11.15pm on Friday, January 1, police received a report of an alarm activation at a petrochemical plant in Grangemouth.

“Emergency services attended and it has been established that this was a system fault.”

They wrote on Twitter that "local residents need not be alarmed".