The success of a project founded by a reformed drug dealer to stop youngsters following the same path will be celebrated tomorrow.

Arfan Naseer, 28, of Girlington, Bradford, said a nine-year jail sentence had changed his outlook on life and led him to want to inspire others to keep away from crime.

He came up with the Manningham and Girlington Influencing Change (Magic) project, involving West Yorkshire Police and the Bradford West co-ordinator’s office.

Mr Naseer, known as Naz, has mentored 12 youngsters through a nine- week programme that included hard-hitting workshops looking at knife crime, gun crime, drugs and arson.

He said the project’s participants would now act as ambassadors to future groups of young people who wanted to get involved in the Magic scheme.

“I looked around my own area and young people I see remind me of what I was like," he said. "The project gives them both sides, police and former offenders. It’s been wonderful.”

Inspector Steve Dodds, of the Manningham and Toller Neighbourhood Policing Team, said: “The change in the young people has been fantastic. They have really got into it and got a lot out of it.”

The celebration will be held at the Senior International Banqueting Suite, Sunbridge Road, Bradford, tomorrow.

e-mail: tanya.orourke@telegraphandargus.co.uk