ACUPUNCTURE is being used to help cure heroin addicts in a ground-breaking trial in Gwent.

The charity Drugaid, which assists drug users in South Wales, was the first in the UK to promote auricular acupuncture - placing pins in the ears - as a way of helping addicts.

Heroin users on drug treatment and testing orders (DTTOs) imposed by the courts are now given the option of attending weekly acupuncture classes to help them relax and confront their addiction.

Adam Gotley, the assistant chief officer for the Gwent Probation Service, said: "We started the technique in Gwent in autumn 2001 after Drugaid put forward the idea.

"Feedback from addicts has been very positive and a handful of other probation service areas across the UK are now also using acupuncture. "It's a relaxation technique that helps them to battle their addiction. These people often have deep-seated problems and the acupuncture helps them to face up to their problems."

Mr Gotley said acupuncture was part of an overall package of treatment of the DTTOs.

He said DTTOs ran from one to three years and had an approximate success rate of 35 per cent for curing addicts.

That is backed by Richie Williams, who has been receiving acupuncture for heroin addiction.

He said he was feeling the benefits because the treatment relaxed him and helped him forget the addiction.

Mr Gotley added: "We have about 120 addicts put on DTTOs a year and each one costs several thousand pounds a year to society in terms of the crime they commit. So, getting 40 of them off heroin has huge economic benefits."

Cindy Beynon, an auricular acupuncture practitioner for Drugaid, said: "Most people come in very sceptical but during the 40-minu