Poverty in Dundee has reached such a critical level that even foodbanks are running dry.

Volunteers today told how people are “struggling to cope” because of changes to benefits and other financial pressures.

The revelation comes as the city ploughs £1 billion into a massive revamp of its waterfront, with a £45 million outpost of the V&A museum at the heart of it.

While those long-term efforts to improve the city and its economy continue, just up the hill a foodbank was forced to turn away hungry people when it ran out of food.

Based within the Menzieshill Parish Church, Dundee Foodbank workers had to ask for supplies from another unit in Dundee to restock their empty shelves.

An emergency batch of food was sent from the city’s only other foodbank at Full Gospel Church, on Constitution Road.

And these supplies are only expected to last a few days.

Both units are down to their last half-dozen cereal boxes and have run completely dry of sugar.

Stocks of tinned meat and fish, UHT milk, diluting/long life juice, and nappies essential items for the majority of people accessing the service are also extremely low.

Volunteer Cat Black, 47, of Magdalen Yard Road, in Dundee’s west end, helps run the foodbank at Menzieshill.

She said: “The last couple have weeks have be really busy we’ve been run off our feet.

“So much so that we’ve run out of all the essentials to give people.

We started splitting the sugar into smaller bags when we saw how little we had left, but we still run out. It’s the first time that has ever happened. We’re just not getting enough donations in to keep up with demand.”

All food issued by the city’s foodbanks is donated from local people.

It is collected from drop-off points temporarily set up in workplaces, supermarkets, community centres, schools, churches, and donations made directly to the banks.

But recently the number of people needing access to the foodbank’s services has dramatically increased, and volunteers are struggling to meet the demand.

Cath McNally, 63, of Eastwell Close, Lochee, who also volunteers at Menzieshill foodbank, said: “People are under a lot of financial pressure at the moment.

“Those who could just about manage to make ends meet before are now finding themselves unable to cope and are turning to us for help. A lot of this is down to the welfare reforms, particularly the new bedroom tax.

“They just can’t afford these extra costs.”

The number of people accessing Dundee Foodbank’s services has nearly doubled since the start of April, when the bedroom tax was introduced, according to manager Dave Morris.

But he was keen to stress that it is not only people on benefits who use the service.

He said: “Contrary to most people’s perception, it’s not just unemployed people or addicts that come to us for support.

“Families, single parents, working mums, young single people, homeowners who have been made redundant we see every type of person here, from all walks of life.

“Circumstances in life can change very quickly and anyone can find themselves in the situation where they need a little extra support.

“We’re here to provide that help, without judgment.”

Users of Dundee Foodbank can only access its services three times in a six month period and they must be referred from one of its support agencies.