SHOCK figures have revealed that more than 40 schoolchildren in Bolton are being treated for drink and drug addiction.

A total of 41 children under the age of 16 -- some addicted to heroin -- are registered as receiving help, new statistics have revealed.

And 104 teenagers between the ages of 16 and 19 years old are also receiving treatment, according to a report by the Drug Misuse Research Unit at Manchester University.

The figures indicate that the use of cocaine appears to be on the increase in Bolton.

Last year only four people in the town sought treatment for addiction to the drug, but so far this year 14 people addicted to crack cocaine have approached drug workers and the health service seeking treatment.

The number of drug addicts currently receiving treatment in Bolton now stands at 1,225 -- an increase of 464 in just 12 months. Of these,1,000 are heroin users.

The number actually receiving treatment is thought to be around half the estimated population of drug addicts in the town.

Bolton drug experts say increases in the number of people entering treatment programmes are an indication of their success in tackling the problem. Leader of the Bolton Drug Action Team, Sandie Nesbitt, said: "The report is seen as a positive reflection of the hard work of the Drug Action Team.

"The increase is seen as a good thing, not a negative. We are getting more people into treatment and we are close to achieving the Government targets."However, the report has met with scepticism from Smithills mother, Brigette De Mullet, whose 23-year-old daughter, Rebecca Kippax is a heroin addict and is serving a prison sentence for intent to supply the drug.

Ms De Mullet said: "The drugs service in Bolton is very inadequate and it needs more funding. As a parent I have gone through hell and back.

"Bolton addicts struggle to get rehabilitation and when they do, they are funded only for six months. Other towns fund for at least 12 months to get addicts off their habit. It is more successful."

Ms Nesbitt says that Bolton has pioneered a number of schemes including the arrest-referral strategy where police work closely with the Drug Action Team in helping addicted offenders come off drugs.

A service targeting inmates at Forrest Bank Prison has also seen more new drug addicts turning to treatment and using day centres once they leave jail.

The main addictions in Bolton are heroin (84 per cent) followed by amphetamines (4 per cent) and cannabis (4 per cent), Methadone (3 per cent), ecstacy (1 per cent), other opiates (1 per cent) benzodiazepines (1 per cent). Crack, hallucinogens, solvents and other drugs make up the other two per cent.

Experts say more education is needed in Bolton to stop the sharing of drug equipment to prevent the spread of infections.

The Government is poised to reveal next year's budget for Bolton's Drug Action Team and Ms Nesbitt said: "We are hoping that there will be a substantial increase in our budget. But the Government's announcement has been delayed and until we get this figure, we can't plan too much detail.

"But I want to see better services for stimulant(cocaine) users, further development of services for the under 19s to get them into treatment much earlier and to keep people in treatment for longer."