Actors from Teen Challenge, a national Christian organisation, performed hard-hitting musical The Journey at the Reachout Community Church in Havelock Street, Wellingborough, on Thursday night.

Although the musical dealt with the serious issue of substance abuse, children of all ages were invited to attend.

David Cartwright, 28, from Stoke on Trent, said: "I was addicted to heroin and I decided to do this when I got to the end of my rehabilitation programme.

"I play a heroin addict who embarks on a life of drug addiction and the lifestyle that goes with it. I wouldn't describe myself as an actor but I can remember what it felt like to go through all that.

"All I have to do is think back my thought patterns and emotions at the time and express them on stage.

"We have been rehearsing a lot and it is a very personal thing for me. It is important to do this play, obviously to warn people about the dangers of getting involved in drugs, but also to show them that whatever bad situation you are in, there is hope and there is a way out."

The 10 actors and three audio-visual engineers travelled from a rehabilitation centre in Wales to stage the performance.

Teen Challenge was started in New York in 1958 by the Rev David Wilkerson who told his story of drug addiction in the film The Cross And The Switchblade and now has residential rehabilitation centres in England, Scotland and Wales.

Paul Evans, South Wales Teen Challenge leader and composer of the musical, said: "We try to show people who are involved in the lifestyle of addiction what the consequences can be.

"The musical shows an addict taking drugs in their bedroom but it also shows them what the consequences of doing that can be.

"Young people learn about this at school but a musical is very vivid and there are video clips and lots of catchy tunes."

Lewis Chirimuuta, Teen Challenge leader in Wales, said: "Addiction in young people is increasing. We run a drug and alcohol advice bus in Irthlingborough on Friday nights between 7pm and 9pm and we usually see between 10 and 15 young people aged 14 and 15 who are drinking a lot of alcohol and starting to use drugs.

"It is a big problem in Wellingborough and Kettering too and it is something that we need to wake up to.

"We hope to make young people realise that their lives are too precious to throw away on drug addiction."