The First Minister added: "I intend to take all possible steps and explore all possible options to give effect to how people in Scotland voted, in other words to secure our continuing place in the EU, and in the single market in particular."

She added that it was “a statement of the obvious that a second referendum must be on the table, and it is on the table”.

"Unfortunately, of course, yesterday's result in Scotland was not echoed across the whole of the United Kingdom. The UK-wide vote to leave the EU is one that I deeply regret," she said.

"The vote across England and Wales was a rejection of the EU and it was a sign of divergence between Scotland and large parts of the rest of the UK and how we see our place in the rest of the world.”

Ms Sturgeon said large numbers of people who voted No in the independence referendum just 21 months ago had been in touch with her to say they would now vote Yes.

She also recalled that in 2014, voters were told by the Better Together campaign that the best way to ensure they remained in the EU was to stay in the UK.