A leading transport union has said it will “deliberately target” the Edinburgh festivals with strike action amid warnings an ongoing pay dispute could turn the Scottish capital into a “ghost town” in August.

The National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers (RMT) confirmed on Thursday, as first reported in The Scotsman, that railway workers would be balloted on strike action after rejecting a 2.2 per cent pay offer from ScotRail.

The decision comes amid a severe shortage in train drivers that has forced ScotRail to introduced a reduced timetable from Monday.