Five-thousand supporters of Spanish unity took to the streets of Barcelona on Saturday evening to voice their anger at Sunday's Catalan independence referendum.

The mostly right-wing demonstrators waved Spanish flags, burned a Catalan flag and tried to destroy a banner reading "More Democracy".

Tens of thousands of Catalans are expected to vote in the ballot, which will have no legal status as it has been blocked by Spain’s constitutional court.

Madrid has sent thousands of police to the region to stop it taking place.