Star Wars actress Daisy Ridley has deleted her Instagram account because of the "pressure" of posting to millions of followers.

Ridley, who played Rey in Star Wars: The Force Awakens, stepped back from the photo-sharing social media service - and her 2.3 million followers - last month.

She had reportedly received online abuse after sharing a photo of herself after the 2016 Teen Choice Awards, in which she was joined by teenage relatives of victims of mass shootings in Orlando, Newtown and San Bernardino.

In the Instagram post, Ridley wrote: "As I sat in the audience yesterday tears were streaming down my face at the tribute to those that have been lost to gun violence."

She signed off the message with the hashtag "stoptheviolence".


Image: Ridley played Rey in the latest Star Wars film

She was subsequently trolled by pro-gun individuals.

Speaking at the Student Academy Awards in Los Angeles after she revealed her Instagram departure, Ridley said she had a "lot of growing up to do" and had no immediate plans to return to the site.

"I felt a pressure being on it," she said.

"I was like 'I need to post. Oh my God, it's been this many days'. It's actually been kind of nice not to be on it.

"I'm 24. I have a lot of growing up to do. I have to deal with loads of stuff myself personally. For that to be projected with millions of people watching, that is like a bit of an extra pressure.

"I think some people handle it well. Just right now it's not for me, but who knows."

Ridley has previously used Instagram to hit back at criticism that she was too thin, saying she would "not apologise" for her body.