A GWENT mum who has seen her daughter's life ruined by heroin and crack cocaine is backing a new project to help addicts get off drugs.

Last week, we reported that the new Kaleidoscope project in Newport had opened, offering almost immediate treatment for heroin addiction after repeated calls by police, politicians and drug users' families for more provision in the area.

Now Carole Pringle, 55, of Maesglas, Newport, who saw her daughter, Sarah Williams, imprisoned for four years in 2002 for an armed robbery she committed to fund her habit, says she thinks the new project is "absolutely brilliant".

Earlier this month, Mrs Pringle told the Argus that prison had helped Sarah, herself a mother, kick drugs and turn her life around.

She told us how she caught her beloved daughter injecting heroin, and saw her daughter's weight drop to five and a half stone through drug abuse.

After the launch of Kaleidoscope on Friday, Mrs Pringle said: "I think it is absolutely brilliant if they can help the drug addicts get help when they need it.

"I like the idea that they have the methadone on the premises so they can't take it out on to the streets. It is absolutely wonderful."

Mrs Pringle, who told her story to prevent at least one other person's life being ruined by drugs, said that it is good to know there is somewhere to go if somebody wants to get off drugs - and they don't have to wait months and months.

She said: "I wish it was around when my daughter was doing it.

"I would like to go up there and introduce myself and have a look around. It sounds really, really good, and it will definitely help a lot of people.

"If they can offer more rehabilitation that is absolutely brilliant, and it sounds like they have the right type of staff to help. I hope this takes off in a big way. They do need help and they need it when they say it.

"When my daughter said to me she really wanted to come off it, I knew she really did at that time. There was a different way she said it to me, she needed the help then.

"This project sounds absolutely brilliant."

* Gwent Kaleidoscope Project is at St Paul's Church, Commercial Street, Newport, call 01633 211001 or visit www.kaleidoscopeproject. org.uk