Families with disabled children are going without basics such as food and heating after being left in financial "dire straits", a charity has warned.

Contact a Family, which supports those who have a child with a disability, said the recession had left many families at "breaking point".

The charity asked 88 families in Scotland about their financial situation as part of a UK-wide survey.

A total of 19% said they had gone without food to try and make ends meet.

An additional 14% said they had sacrificed heating.

Nearly half - 46% - said they had fallen behind with loan payments, with 24% saying they needed to borrow money for basic household goods.

And 42% admitted to borrowing money from family and friends to pay for groceries, household goods and heating.

Three-quarters of those surveyed said they had missed out on days out, while two-thirds said they did not go on holidays.