The numbers are set to top 5,000 this year, according to the Chartered Institute of Housing in Scotland.

And figures had already reached 3,763 by September.

The numbers are more than double the amount of repossession orders granted by Scottish courts in 1994.

Figures for homelessness have gone up

The institute blamed part-time work, short-term contracts and low pay as factors behind the rise.

It called on lenders and the Scottish Office to find better ways of helping those with mortgage difficulties.

At the same time, the housing charity Shelter released another set of figures which show the number of homelessness application to Scottish councils has risen to 43,135 families.

The total represent about 77,000 men, women and children.

Shelter said this represented a 5% rise on the year before, and the highest total since it began monitoring the figures in the mid-80s.

Mortgage repossession figures have risen to their present level from 2,058 in 1994, 3,554 in 1995, and 4,305 in 1997, the Chartered Institute of Housing said.

The institute's director in Scotland, Alan Ferguson, said: "The dream of owning your own home has become the nightmare of having no home at all for thousands of Scots.

"More and more Scots are losing their homes because they cannot keep up with the mortgage payments.

"Predictions of an economic downturn are likely to lead to even more repossessions next year."

The institute is seeking the introduction of a nation mortage recue scheme to tackle what it calls a repossession "crisis".