Catalonia's government is appealing against plans by Spain's central authorities to directly run the troubled north-eastern region.

Spain's top court has officially ruled that Catalonia's disputed independence referendum was illegal because a regional law that backed it was against Spain's constitution.

Preliminary results in Catalonia show 90% in favour of independence in a vote opposed by Spain, a Catalan official said.

Barcelona's mayor Ada Colau has demanded "an immediate end to police charges against the defenceless population".

Latest: Catalonia "has won the right to become an independent state", the Spanish region's leader Carles Puigdemont said.