LOTTERY bosses today revealed they are withholding a £5,000 grant from a controversial drug and alcohol advice centre after launching an investigation into the scheme.

The National Lottery Charities Board announced the cash boost for Lancashire Alcohol and Drug Service last week, as part of a its latest round of awards.

It is to fund a short-term contract for a co-ordinator, refurbishment of the group's Darwen centre and production of leaflets.

Rachel Brisley, small grant co-ordinator for the National Lottery Charities Board, has now given assurances that the money will not be handed over until further investigations have been carried out.

She added: "The group were awarded £5,000, although it has not been handed out yet. Some investigations were carried out before the decision was taken. In light of the information we have now received we will be carrying out further investigations and speaking to all the relevant local bodies."

The move follows concern among bosses at East Lancashire Health Authority and Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council about the work and plans of the group. Public health expert Peter Lewenz, of East Lancashire Health Authority, said: "We have had no recent contact with this project about their intentions and will be pursuing it further.

"We have concern about the agency itself and would expect such a service to work with us in order to establish how it links in with ours."

A spokesman from Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council added: "We haven't had any contact from this organisation or the lottery people. We are concerned to have a co-ordinated approach to providing drug and alcohol related services."

Plans for a drop in and residential rehabilitation service in Bridge Street, Darwen, were announced early last year.

The Lancashire Evening Telegraph later revealed that a retired social worker, Marion Roberts, who had been developing the idea from her home in Norwich had been suspended from a similar project a year earlier.

Mrs Roberts was unavailable to discuss the latest development.

Brightcrest Ltd secured planning permission at the building for a drop-in centre and three flats for the elderly in 1994. Brightcrest Ltd director and surgeon Dr Mohammed Ashraf Memon, of Astley House retirement home, Darwen, is backing the project and said a full statement about its future would be released soon.

He said: "We have secured some private funding but we are still looking at whether it is adequate to launch the centre.

"The building is being refurbished at the moment and all the people involved are respectable members of the community who are aware of the need for such a service in the town.

"We are aware of the concern but are keen to give out the right message and are still very much looking at the viability of the service before involving other agencies.

"Things have been blown out of proportion. If we were not a bona-fide group the lottery would not have granted us money."

Traders in Bridge Street have vowed to fight the opening of the centre, claiming it is an unsuitable location for such a service.

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