The hunt is on for the most dismal town in Scotland.

The controversial Carbuncle Awards, sponsored by Scottish magazine Urban Realm, have been set up in order to find the town in Scotland with the most aesthetically dismal architecture.

Candidates so far include Newmilns in Ayrshire, Leslie in Fife and Broxburn in Edinburgh.

But the organisers are on the hunt for yet more towns in Scotland which could be contenders for the title.

The competition organisers are looking for residents, commuters and tourists to nominate some of Scotland's most dismal places and spaces.

The nomination categories include the 'Plook on the Plinth Award', the 'Pock Mark Award' and the 'Zit Building Award'.

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Urban Realm editor John Glenday said: "Our towns are under greater pressure than ever before, suffering continued dissipation of resources and fragmentation of once close knit communities.

"From flagging retail, to an exodus of the young and a planning and legal system that often seems perversely designed to throttle rather than nurture."

He said the Carbuncle Awards were “an antidote to this insidious decline which has hit our towns since the onset of recession in 2008, acting as a doorstop for decay and a springboard for future prosperity."

Last year’s "Plook on the plinth" winner was Linwood in Renfrewshire, which was considered as the most dreary town in Scotland.

The "Zit building award" is awarded for the worst building completed in the previous year. So far nominations include Carnoustie Links Golf Club and Renfrew Street walkway in Glasgow.

The "Pock mark" award is given for the worst planning decision. This year has seen only one nomination so far for the disused Perth City Hall.

Carbuncles judges this year include planner Drew Mackie, architecture critic Mark Chalmers and Mr Glenday.

(IT)