AYR Police Office has been called one of the worst police buildings in the country.

Recent pictures have revealed the building on King Street in a crumbling condition with the issue being raised in parliament. Pictures show gaping holes in ceilings and walls, with parts of the inside being held together with parcel tape and cardboard.

There also appears to be buckets catching water from leaks, damp marks and pieces of the interior falling apart. The Justice Sub-Committee heard how some of the conditions officers were forced to work in were a “complete and utter embarrassment” and that this is having an effect on the forces’ operational efficiency across Scotland.

A call for funding to Police Scotland was made last week from the Scottish Police Federation with member Calum Steele saying “The Ayr office was probably carved out of asbestos,” when giving evidence at Holyrood.

The Ayr building is over 50 years old and many parts of the building already lie empty due to unfinished repair works and poor conditions.

Paul Connelly, chair of the West Area Committee for the Scottish Police Federation, said: “In common with many buildings of the period, Ayr Police Office was constructed using large amounts of asbestos.

“Ayr has had a substantial amount of work done to remove material that presents an immediate threat.

“However the building is in a poor condition and it either needs a huge amount of money spent on it or it should be replaced.”

Repairs to Ayr Police Office have been on the agenda for a while as its condition has been described as being one of the worst in Scotland. A previous asbestos report fed back a report hundreds of pages long. Mr Connelly added: “The amount of asbestos is unbelievable, It’s the most I’ve seen. It’s not Police Scotland it’s just the age of the building. The state of the building is indicative of it being starved of funding.

“The only option they have if not repaired is to put the office out of commission. It is without a doubt one of the worst in the country. Police officers are expected to deal with the most traumatic incidents and I don’t think that it’s unreasonable for them to have cars that are fit for purpose and buildings that are windproof, water tight and rat free.

“I am aware of serious building defects that have taken years to rectify. It’s not credible for Police Scotland to say that their estate and fleet are in good condition when they have been given a fraction of the capital budget they requested.”