FIRMS have been urged to employ former drink and drug addicts as part of a drive to tackle Blackburn and Darwen's addiction problems.

In a report by The Citizens' Jury, they also asked for more drug users to be spared jail and instead put in rehabilitation centres.

They called for an increase in community policing, tougher punishments on shops that sell alcohol to under 18s and more education on drink and drugs in schools.

And by hiring reformed addicts, they feel employers would show there is hope for the rehabilitated.

The jury, made up of 20 people of varying backgrounds from across the borough, finished outlining its case by declaring: "We want to be heard."

And council leader, Sir Bill Taylor, promised the eight-page document be analysed to see if the ideas could be implemented.

A research paper produced as part of the project will also now be used to inform Government policy makers. The University of Newcastle, which has organised 11 of the panels across the country on issues as diverse as GM crops or ageism in the NHS, sent 5,000 letters and 3,000 leaflets to Blackburn and Darwen residents in a recruitment drive for the study.

Twenty residents of a diverse ethnic make-up from different electoral wards were selected, and they chose drink and drugs as the biggest problem.

The jury spent approximately 30 hours over eight weeks reaching its conclusions and, over the next two years and with the help of the university, jurors will attempt to lobby officials on their recommendations.

Dr Tom Wakeford, who organised the project with a £50,000 grant from the Rowntree Charitable Trust, said: "One of the things was that we got all these diverse backgrounds and they were unanimous in what they wanted."