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Welsh castles should be handed over to the people of Wales, according to a singer and campaigner.

Dafydd Iwan said he was surprised to learn several castles in the country remained the property of the Crown Estate despite being managed by Cadw - a Welsh government historic environment service.

The singer known for the song Yma O Hyd, which has become something of an unofficial anthem for the Wales football team in recent years, said he made the discovery while planning his 80th birthday celebrations.

He had initially planned to celebrate the milestone with a concert at Caernarfon Castle in Gwynedd.

Mr Iwan said it became clear during negotiations "the problems outweighed the advantages".

"Although run by Cadw, the castle - along with others - remain in the hands of the Crown," he said.

A long-time advocate of Welsh independence, Mr Iwan said returning the Crown Estate's vast properties to Wales would be "a great first step".

The Crown Estate is an independent, commercial business, according to its website, and manages the monarchy's vast property interests.

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With a portfolio worth £16bn, it owns Regent Street, one of the world's best-known retail and tourist destinations, as well as part of St James's in Mayfair.

Outside London, it manages the Windsor Estate, including Windsor Great Park.

A spokesperson for The Crown Estate said: "Where we own a small number of historic buildings across Wales we have a long-standing relationship with Cadw who act as guardians of these important national assets for the people of Wales."