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Cardiff has ruled itself out of bidding to become European Capital of Culture 2023.

A UK city will hold the title that year, and arts and cultural groups in Cardiff had pushed for the Welsh capital to enter the competition.

Although new council leader Huw Thomas said in June that he wanted to "explore" the idea, time has run out.

Cardiff council said October's deadline meant "from a standing start" there was not enough time to prepare a bid.

Dundee, Leeds, Milton Keynes and Nottingham have already declared their interest in holding the title.

Previous UK cities to host the year of cultural events include Liverpool and Glasgow.

The title attracts major arts events and promotes new work and local talents, with an economic benefit to the cities estimated to run into tens of millions of pounds.

It is a separate competition to the UK City of Culture, which Swansea has been shortlisted to host in 2021.

A Cardiff council spokesman said: "Following discussions arranged by the council with leaders from the city's arts community and creative sector, a consensus emerged that, from a standing start, the time wasn't right to make a bid to become the European Capital of Culture.

"Several other ideas and projects were discussed however, which we are starting to take forward in partnership with the arts and the creative sector, looking at new ways of improving and growing the reputation of Cardiff, and indeed the wider region, as one of the UK's leading cultural destinations."

Conservative group leader Adrian Robson called it a "missed chance".

He tweeted: "There is so much arts and culture in Cardiff/South Wales that to submit a decent bid to put us on a world stage should be possible".

The UK has already been lined up to host in 2023 before the vote to leave the European Union last year.

Cardiff had which was won by Liverpool.