A HEROIN addict of more than 20 years who spent time behind bars as a teen has turned his life around in a bid to help others.

Gary Lynch had his first brush with the law at the age of 13, was sent to juvenile detention at 14 and started taking the class A drug in his twenties - leading him to commit a number of theft and drug offences.

The 40-year-old now works full time for the drug and alcohol charity Lifeline alongside Durham Constabulary to deliver a programme called Checkpoint which assists low level offenders to correct their behaviour to avoid a conviction.

"I like helping people and carry the message that you can change," said Gary, originally from Bishop Auckland. "Nobody could believe I could.

"People think addicts are a waste of space but they're just lost and need the right support and guidance.

"I would have been clean a lot earlier if Checkpoint was around at the beginning."

During his time as an addict, Gary's life spiralled out of control and left him homeless for eight years, five of which were spent in a shed.

The turning point came in 2012 when the father-of-two, at just seven stone, was told his addiction would kill him.

He was offered counselling and rehabilitation at the Recovery Academy Durham.

Since then he has remained clean and trained to be a drug and alcohol worker at college while volunteering as an ambassador for NECA, a substance misuse charity.

Now living in East Durham, Gary works alongside Detective Inspector Andy Crowe who once arrested him during his days as a beat cop.

"You can do all the training and courses in the world but life is the best experience so Gary is a phenomenal resource with credibility," said DI Crowe.

Gary uses his own experiences to identify problems in offenders - anything from addiction to homelessness - addresses them and points them in the direction of an appropriate agency.

And despite having a goal of helping just one person a year, Gary has helped five people into recovery in just 12 months alone.

But most important of all for Gary is the resurrected relationship with his two teenage daughters.

"It is the best buzz that they are proud of me and no buzz of drugs could do that," he added.