A bid to designate all of South Ayrshire a city has been unsuccessful.

The area lost out to eight other places in the UK and the Falkland Islands.

Dunfermline was the only Scottish place to be designated a city. 

Bangor in Northern Ireland, Colchester, Doncaster and Milton Keynes in England, Douglas in the Isle of Man, Stanley in the Falkland Islands and Wrexham in Wales were the other seven locations chosen.

The designations are part of the Queen's Platinum Jubilee celebrations this year.

The Platinum Jubilee Civic Honours Competition required applicants to demonstrate their unique communities and distinct local identity.

They were also asked to highlight their royal associations and cultural heritage.

Alongside, South Ayrshire, Dumfries, Elgin, Greenock, Livingston, Oban, St Andrews all missed out.

Read more: South Ayrshire 'city bid' lodged for Queen's Platinum Jubilee

The South Ayrshire bid had the backing of local firm Buzworks Holdings, as well as multiple Olympic medal winner, Duncan Scott.

Their support was not enough though and South Ayrshire will now have to wait until the next jubilee comes around to give it another go.

The competition has taken place in each of the last three jubilee years and this year saw a record number of city status awards given out.

2022 was also the first time applications from the Crown Dependencies and Overseas Territories were permitted.

Steve Barclay MP, Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, said: "I am delighted that a record number of locations have been awarded the prestigious city status as part of Her Majesty The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Celebrations.

"What was clear to me during the process of assessing each application was the pride that people felt for their communities, local cultural heritage and the Royal Family.

"As we celebrate Her Majesty The Queen’s colossal contribution to society, I am thrilled that we are able to recognise some of the many places that make Britain great.

"It is also incredibly reflective of Her Majesty’s global outlook and years of international service that applicants from the Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies have been selected as winners for the first time.

"I look forward to the world coming together to show our pride and gratitude to Queen Elizabeth II on the Jubilee weekend."

Conferment of city status would not invoke any obvious changes, with the designation being more symbolic than anything.

The benefits are thought to be more to do with the status the area would enjoy as being recognised as a city, potentially leading to more tourists visiting the area.

Applications were opened last year and almost 40 locations from across the UK and beyond put forward their bid to become a city.

The applications, which were asked to follow a clear structure were subsequently evaluated by a panel of experts and Cabinet Office ministers, before a recommendation was put to Her Majesty The Queen.

Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries said: "City Status is a huge accolade and I congratulate our eight brilliant winners. This competition showcases the best of Britain and the Overseas Territories and will act as a lasting legacy of Her Majesty The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee."