DRUGS workers say they have seen a big increase in heroin use on Bolton's streets over the past two years.

The shock news comes a week after the body of 17-year-old heroin addict and prostitute Carly Bateman was found dumped in an alleyway off Crawford Avenue, The Haulgh.

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Gerard Thomas, project manager of Step-by-Step, said there had been a marked rise in the amount of people using the Class A substance in the past two years.

Mr Thomas, whose organisation is based on White Lion Brow, added: "If you look at the most recent statistics they show there has been a 20 per cent increase in drug abuse this year and that corresponds with what we have been experiencing in the town.

"This figure is for all drugs, but on the streets heroin is still the king."

Although police and Bolton's Drug Action Team say the town's heroin problem is stabilising, Mr Thomas also said he had seen an increase in drug abuse among young people.

"We only deal with adults, but we know the people who use drugs are getting younger and younger."

A member of the Harbour Project, a Bolton support group which helps family and friends of people with drug addictions, also said she thought the public were not aware of the size of the problem in the town.

The woman, a mother who did not want to be named, said: "We have around 16-18 members, but between us we can name 100-200 people we know who are on heroin. It's a huge, huge problem."

Bolton's former coroner has also highlighted the scale of the heroin problem in Bolton.

Aidan Cotter, who has just left his post, said he had dealt with 24 inquests of deaths directly attributable to heroin this year. He warned that the figure was growing.

But Bolton's Drug Action Team (DAT), which works with many groups such as the police and the health authority to try to beat the problem of substance abuse, said although it estimated there were currently 2,500 drug users in the town, most of them on heroin, there had not been a significant increase.

Co-ordinator Sandie Nesbitt said: "I don't think there has been a rise. We are seeing a levelling off of users."

Last week, the BEN featured not only the murder of Carly, but also the death of 16-year-old Charlene Dyson, of Farnworth, who died of a drug overdose in May, highlighting the problem of heroin abuse among younger people.

DAT launched Project 360, which helps under 19s, 18 months ago, but Mrs Nesbitt said this was not because there had been a marked increase in the number of young people taking heroin.

She added: "We set up the project because we thought it was important to work with people in their late teens in the early days, before they develop a really high dependency.

"You do get one or two people who are of school age using heroin, but most are a little older."

DAT is working with many agencies and Sgt Elaine Hodkinson, Bolton police's drugs liaison officer, is at the forefront of the force's contribution.

She said she was involved in many aspects of the drug problem, including enforcement, treatment and education.

She added: "Drugs are most definitely still out there and heroin is still number one, although more crack cocaine is coming into the town.

"I don't think there has been an increase in heroin users and I don't think young people are using heroin.

"We rarely see young heroin addicts. The people we arrest tend to be aged 21 to 35."

A spokesman for Greater Manchester Police said they were continuing to try to get heroin off the streets of Bolton.

He said: "There have been a number of successful raids which show Class A drugs are coming into the town, but we are finding out where it is going."

In September, £250,000 worth of heroin and four loaded handguns were seized during a police raid on a house in Little Lever.

More money is being pumped into dealing with the problem, with the Government announcing this week that £8m is being handed to the NHS so it can become more involved in long-term drug prevention work.

The Government hopes the move will help reach its targets of reducing the use of Class A drugs by 25 per cent by 2005 and 50 per cent by 2008.

The Harbour Project meets on the first and third Mondays of each month for confidential listening, support and advice. Ring 01204 62274 for more details.