After losing six members of his family, Steven Weir, became dependent on hard drugs, gave up his job and started sleeping rough in Nottingham.

He is now turning his back on his old lifestyle and is hoping to find work helping users.

He praises the approach to dependency problems which was taken at his probation hostel.

New employment

Mr Weir said: "For the seven years that I've been really badly addicted to drugs - I spent six trying to get off.

"Going to prison saved my life and the second time of life saving was coming to his place (the probation hostel).

"It's given me the time to focus on myself and the problems I have with drugs, bereavement and depression."

As a result of the support he received, Mr Weir is now looking to start again by getting a new job.

The manager of his probation hostel, Gillie Hagen said: "We do a holistic project.

"80% of the problem is psychological, 20% is treatment.

"We focus on employment, training and education and we talk about the type of employment which is appropriate."