Manor Hotel aims to get women off drugs and out of crime

She had been in and out of drug rehabilitation centres but always fell back into drug-taking and crime to pay for her habit.

But two years ago Susan arrived at Manor Hotel in Walsall in the West Midlands, which helps women get off drugs and out of a life of crime.

Since then she has been able to kick her habit and says she has moved on with her life.

"I was on drugs for 21 years. I had been up and down the country in many rehabs and nothing had ever worked.

"I came to the Manor Hotel and this place has worked for me.

"My life has been totally changed around, I cannot praise them enough.

It was like winning the lottery having my daughter looked after by these people An ex-drug user's mother praising Manor Hotel

"They are dedicated people, they are not just 9 to 5 people, they are here for use all the time, 24 hours a day. They are our family and our friends."

Robert Gregory, who works at Manor Hotel, said it was originally set up in 1984 for vulnerable and homeless people.

In 2003, it started to look after young women coming off drug addiction.

He said: "We have been running for three years and everything has gone from strength to strength."

Life 'turned round'

The aim of Manor Hotel is to get women back into normal life through counselling, education and continual support.

The mother of one drug user said the service had saved her daughter's life.

Sheila said: "My daughter had got a month to live. If it was not for the staff at the Manor Hotel, she would have died.

"It was like winning the lottery having my daughter looked after by these people. They turned her life around completely."

This team stood out because they all work tirelessly to ensure service users receive high levels of treatment Martin Barnes, DrugScope

Manor Hotel has won a regional award for Drug Team of the Year in the West Midlands.

On Tuesday it will be competing for the national award as part of the government-led Tackling Drugs Changing Lives campaign.

The awards were set up to recognise the work of teams and individuals taking positive action to tackle drug issues in their local community.

Martin Barnes, chief executive of DrugScope and one of the awards judges, said: "This team stood out because they all work tirelessly to ensure service users receive high levels of treatment, encouragement and support.

"We had nearly 30 nominations for the Manor Hotel - all from service users or relatives of service users whose lives have been impacted on by the team."