GREENOCK'S crumbling 113-year-old jail should be bulldozed, Scotland's chief inspector of prisons has declared.

Wendy Sinclair-Gieben pointed out the dilapidated state of HMP Gateside to Holyrood's Public Audit Committee.

But Ms Sinclair-Gieben - who has called for a new jail to be built in Inverclyde - also hailed the staff and way the prison is run as 'wonderful'.

She called for action from the Scottish Government on the country’s ailing prison estate.

Ms Sinclair-Gieben said: “We have an ageing population, the demographic is very different to where it was 20 years ago.

“We need to accept that is the case and build an estate or manage an estate that is fit for purpose, or reduce our population by looking at community alternatives.

“Barlinnie is overcrowded, I think Barlinnie is at risk of catastrophic failure, you’ve got Greenock which, frankly, should be bulldozed.”

The reality of overcrowding, she added, means prisoners’ access to rehabilitative activities and to positive relationships with staff is reduced and the 'risk to society and further victims is increased'.

She said: “For me, I think it is something that this Parliament needs to address and address fast.”

But despite the ailing infrastructure at HMP Greenock, she said it is 'one of the best prisons I’ve inspected'.

She added: “Their staff-prisoner relationships are superb, the community relationships are superb, health is good.

“There are many, many aspects of Greenock prison that I think are really wonderful."

But she wants to see a building that is fit for purpose.

Ms Sinclair Gieben said: “I would love to see another Greenock that is fit for purpose, because Greenock isn’t – it costs a fortune to maintain, it has water ingress, it has real issues.”

The Scottish Government and the Scottish Prison Service have been contacted for comment.