PARENTS are so hard up they are leaving their ­babies in wet nappies ­because they cannot ­afford to change them.

Food bank volunteers say some families are so worried about money they are only changing their children's nappies when they are dirty - and leaving them when wet.

Reverend Elisabeth Spence, minister of Ibrox Parish Church and convener of Glasgow South West Food Bank, said the problems stemmed from benefit sanctions, low-paid work and zero-hour contracts.

She said families across the city were facing tough and humiliating choices as they plunged deeper into poverty.

It came as new figures showed the food bank had fed more than 1500 people since it opened last December, 400 of which are families.

There are four food points comprising the Glasgow South West Food Bank in Pollok, Ibrox, Cardonald and Govan.

They estimate that £1000 worth of food is needed to stock the four centres each week to feed hungry people.

Elisabeth said: "Since we opened we mainly see people who are on benefits and for whatever reason they have been sanctioned. We do also see workers who are not being paid enough, and we see a lot of people who are on zero-hour contracts.

"They don't know if they'll be doing five hours or 20 hours any given week."

Elisabeth said a mum in her late 20s was distressed because she was unable to change her one-year-old son's nappy regularly.

She said: "This was a young mother who was only changing her baby's nappy if it was dirty.

"This woman was working but was on a zero hour contract. She wasn't able to budget because she didn't know what she was working from one week to the next. I've no doubt this is happening to other parents in the city."

The food bank organisers are backing the Evening Times' Food for Thought campaign, which is trying to build a more co-ordinated approach so that no-one in Glasgow is in any doubt where to get help.

Elisabeth said: "It would be beneficial to link up food banks so everyone knows where to find them."

They are appealing for city residents to donate any non-perishable food, nappies and toiletries they can.

Elisabeth said: "We are ­always looking for donations and appreciate all support.

"They can be dropped at our distribution centres during food bank opening times."