THE NUMBER of Glaswegians relying on foodbanks for help over the festive season has soared by almost 80% in a year.

Foodbank operators the Trussel Trust have predicted this December could be their busiest on record, with more than 2000 people in the city relying on foodbanks during last year's festive season.

1138 people visited one of the charity's four centres in the city in December 2013, however during the same month last year 2099 people had to use the foodbanks for help.

Now staff at the organisation say the numbers could reach record levels this year and added that foodbank use in Scotland is rising faster than in other parts of the UK.

For the third year, Glasgow's Southwest foodbank is to open its doors to 80 people on Christmas day itself.

Kyle McCormick, Project Manager of two busy centres in the northwest of Glasgow, said: "The vast majority of people who come through our doors find themselves with no money at all, never mind money to buy Christmas gifts, although surely that's the most natural instinct for parents at this time of year.

"For the first time ever, the three-course Christmas Day meal we provide for 80 people is completely booked up in advance.

"Although this is a further sign that people know they will struggle on Christmas Day, we are just pleased we able to do something to offer a little hope at this time of year."

Nationwide, foodbank use over December has soared by 53% between 2013 and 2014, with more than 14,000 people across Scotland visiting the centres at the end of last year.

North Lanarkshire saw a rise of around 22%, with 360 people using Trussel Trust foodbanks in December 2014.

During the same period, South Lanarkshire foodbank use increase by 241%, with 518 people using the service and in East Renfrewshire usage increased by 22% to 360 people.

Although some local authorities have seen a decrease, staff at the organisation said this tended to be more rural locations and overall more people are relying on foodbanks for help.

Of all 14,149 referrals across the country in December 2014, 27% of these were due to low income, 24% were due to a benefit delay and 15% were due to a benefit change.

Scotland Network Manager, Ewan Gurr, said Christmas is a tough time for families living in poverty, particularly with an increase in fuel bills.

He called for political action to ease the pressure on families who could face going hungry this year.

He said: "For some individuals on low incomes, it can mean spending Christmas alone, isolated by circumstances beyond their control and without anything to eat.

"Then there are families struggling on tight budgets where increased winter fuel bills and the absence of free school meals can mean having to make a decision between being cold or going hungry.

"Some foodbank managers emphasise that it is not so much that people are struggling with low income, as they are struggling with no income.

"Although our figures do not capture the overall number of households experiencing food insecurity, the knowledge that even one family could go hungry this Christmas has motivated an outpouring of public generosity with the donation of over half a million meals in Scotland alone, but we also need decisive political action to ease the pressure men, women and children across Scotland continue to experience."