Houses prices are a third lower in Scotland than the rest of the UK

The Bank of Scotland house price index revealed that the cost of an average home rose by 14% in Scotland in a year, compared with just over 10% in the UK.

Inverurie and Greenock saw the highest rises, but Edinburgh remains Scotland's most expensive area to buy property.

The study also revealed an average home in Scotland costs �141,158, nearly a third lower than in the UK as a whole.

Edinburgh, Aberdeen and Inverurie, in Aberdeenshire, are the only three towns and cities in Scotland with an average price over �200,000.

'Most affordable'

Inverurie saw the largest rise in the past year, at 35%, closely followed by a 32% increase in Greenock.

The most affordable town in Scotland is Clydebank, with prices rising 11% to just over �120,000.

Martin Ellis, the Bank of Scotland's group economist, said: "House prices in Scotland are still the most affordable in the UK, despite an annual rise of 14.2%.

"Partly because of higher prices in Aberdeen, we are now seeing something of a 'ripple effect' to the rest of Aberdeenshire."