AS IF it is not bad enough that we have to have foodbanks, we are now hearing that demand on them is so high they are running out of stock.

Not for the first time this year a foodbank is saying it cannot cope with the demand as more and more families are turning to them for support.

This is a dreadful state of affairs.

In this latest case Blaenau Gwent foodbanks say they are being left seriously short of food to hand out to the thousands of people now turning to them for help.

The centres say they are just unable to cope with the 26 per cent increase in demand in just one year.

And they say people are using the foodbanks because they have no option once they have paid other essential bills.

This is not unique to Blaenau Gwent. Similar stories have been reported in Swansea,Nottingham, Glasgow and Newcastle in recent weeks and months.

The Blaenau Gwent foodbanks are appealing for donations and it is good to see local politicians supporting them.

But, in our view, there is a more fundamental issue which should be tackled, surrounding the very need for foodbanks in the first place.