For the 5000 people sleeping rough in Scotland every year, options for a bed at Christmas are limited.

For some its a choice between a doorway, which offers moderate shelter from the wind, or a more secluded spot under a bridge - "colder" but admittedly "safer" according to one rough sleeper.

Some choose to sofa surf, while others refuse to put their friends and family under pressure at a time of year fraught with relationship breakdowns.

Hostels are another option - though places are easily lost - and waiting times for temporary accommodation are significant.

Ruth Robin, operations manager at Shelter Scotland, believes the current statistics are "just the tip of the iceberg" of the country's homelessness problem, particularly in Glasgow.

Front-line services in the city have shared concerns on "failures" in the system which have perpetuated a vicious cycle of destitution.

These issues include:

What are the other options?

Since 2010, Glasgow City Mission has run a winter night shelter accommodating hundreds of guests every year over Christmas.

It runs on East Campbell Street off the Gallowgate on a first-come, first-served basis: guests are searched, given clean clothes, hot food, hot drink and a warm handshake.

"If I didn't have this place I'd be in a back alley with a sleeping bag," said 54-year-old guest Cameron Murie.

"I've slept in doorways, back alleys and amongst rats and pigeons. It feels degrading.

"I'm a likeable fella - people don't want to see me lying in the gutter. But when you don't have any opportunities, where do you go?"

Cameron, who is hundreds of pounds in debt, says there are "all sorts" of people sleeping rough in Glasgow - some educated, some with addictions, some running from domestic abuse.

The winter night shelter had its busiest period yet last year, with 605 individuals using the shelter 4060 times - a 94% increase on the previous year.

On 32 occasions the shelter was full for the first time. Occupants were predominantly white men from Glasgow aged 40-50.

The project ran from December 1 to March 31, a month longer than normal due to demand - which has been repeated this year in anticipation of similar numbers.

For the first time this year, Glasgow City Council will post homelessness case workers on site, in a bid to put people into homes and "create a way through" the system.

Glasgow City Mission chief executive Grant Campbell said: "All evidence suggests homelessness is a growing problem. I think some of the fixes are bold but simple.

"We see people who have spells of rough sleeping, who have got accommodation and support, then are back on the street. So you get that never-ending cycle.

"We need the right amount of shelters, we need to get people in quickly and we need the right wrap-around support."

After flying to Glasgow from Poland with her girlfriend, 26-year-old Patricia spent four weeks sleeping on the streets.

She attempted to stay in a hostel but was eventually turned away by "homophobic" staff.

"I don't have words for this," she said. "I sent my CV everywhere, I learned English, I want to change my circumstances. We want a normal life."

The young couple eventually approached Simon Community Scotland, which directed them to a shelter where they can stay from 8pm to 8am the following morning and are given a hot meal.

This year the charity received funding from the Big Lottery Fund to set up a network of beds in people's spare rooms throughout Glasgow, an initiative called the Nightstop project.

Young people aged 16-25 will be able to stay in their own private room with a welcoming volunteer host for up to three nights.

The hope is charity workers can then help people to find a more long-term solution to what has taken them to the brink of homelessness.

Funding for the service is also being provided by the Rangers Charity Foundation.

Because Shelter Scotland does not offer night shelter, washing facilities or soup kitchens, it's not the first organisation someone sleeping rough will approach.

In a bid to address this, the charity has been building relationships with other organisations that do offer beds, food and clothing, to pass on information and support on housing rights to those in need.

Earlier this year the group connected with front-line services such as the Glasgow City Mission, Glasgow Drug Crisis Centre, Maxie Richards Foundation and the Marie Trust to speak to people in need.

Shelter eventually hopes to roll out similar services across Scotland.

Having previously experienced homelessness, Joe Crawford is one of the Shelter volunteers helping people off the streets.

Click play to hear his story.