A young father who beat his drug habit hopes to encourage other Muslim addicts to seek help.

Raees, 30, is the first Muslim to get on a Drugs treatment programme through the Caleb Project in Bradford - but he does not want to be the last.

Raees, who is married with a one year-old son, tried a range of drugs, but was particularly hooked on skunk cannabis, spending £20 a day at the height of his addiction.

But now he has been "clean" for six weeks after plucking up the courage to walk through the doors at the project.

"I am the first Muslim to get on a day care programme here and I hope I will be a good advert for other Muslims who might feel the same despair," said Raees, of Bradford.

"It is harder for Muslims to do because we traditionally deal with problems at home. But this place gives me the tools to deal with my addiction. The programme is run by Christians, but it is not a Christian programme, it is a spiritual one. You do not have to believe in God to come here," he said.

Raees, who did not want to give his full name, began smoking cannabis when he was 14 because he was mixing with people up to ten years older. He said: "I thought. 'Let's see what it's all about.' It relaxed me."

He failed to go to school for the last six months, telling staff he had been on holiday in Pakistan, and spent his time smoking dope and hanging around city centre amusement arcades and pool halls.

He then discovered the rave scene and graduated to ecstasy, LSD and amphetamines - "everything but crack cocaine and heroin" - and began stealing from his family to pay for his drug habit.

His main addiction was to skunk cannabis, which led to severe depression and psychosis. "I started hearing voices telling me to kill myself," he said. "I didn't have a life. I was existing. Other people didn't know and I felt isolated. My life was an absolute mess. I had problems and I wasn't dealing with them. My answer was to smoke more spliff."

Raees even spent thousands of pounds given as wedding gifts and when his son was born. He realised he had hit rock bottom when police went to the family home because he had not paid driving fines. He saw an advert for the Caleb Project and got in touch.

Now Raees is putting his life back together. "I have been here for two months and I have sorted out a payment plan to deal with my fines and I am in a position to deal with my financial debts," he said.

"I am spending time with my son. He is my inspiration to carry on.

"I am doing a computer course at Caleb which will give me opportunities to go to college. I am just thinking about the foundations, then I can build on top of that.

"Since coming here doors have opened for me. This place has given me a lot in a short space of time. I am enjoying my life now. Drugs are the enemy and this place has given me the ammunition to take care of that enemy."