A team counting votes was replaced on referendum night after complaints about their behaviour.

Highland Council said four people at its count in Dingwall, Ross-shire, were taken off duties on September 18.

They were reportedly seen giving the thumbs-up and high-fiving each other when they opened Yes votes.

It was claimed that boos were heard when "No" votes were opened.

The council confirmed the group were replaced during the count but refused to say if further disciplinary action would be taken.

The local authority returned a No vote in the referendum after receiving 87,739 No votes and 78,069 for Yes.

The turnout was 87%, with 165,976 voters returning a ballot paper from a total registered electorate of 190,778.

The result from the Highlands was the last in the country to be declared but the delay was due to a fatal road crash in the area stopping ballot boxes reaching the count and not because the team of counters were removed, Highland Council said.

A spokeswoman for the Highland Counting Officer said: "Complaints were made about a count staff team of four people at the referendum count in Dingwall and as a result the team were stood down and replaced.

"This did not contribute to the time taken to declare the final result, however there was a delay because of the A9 road closure."

In Glasgow, police are investigating 10 cases of suspected voting fraud detected during the city's count but Mary Pitcaithly, the chief counting officer for the referendum, has already said she was satisfied that all counts throughout Scotland were properly conducted and scrutinised.

An online petition calling for a ''revote of the Scottish referendum, counted by impartial international parties'' has reached more than 95,000 signatories, with the change.org petition citing ''countless evidences of fraud'' documented during the referendum count.