HOT on the heels of her husband, Cherie Blair sampled the city of Southampton for herself when she paid a visit to a clinic that helps rehabilitate drug users who have committed crimes to fund their habit.

The prime minister's wife met staff and clients at the Swaythling Health Clinic yesterday, where offenders agree to stay free of drugs instead of being sent to prison for their crime.

Two days after her husband's visit to the city, Cherie also took time out from the Labour party conference in Bournemouth to make the trip along the south coast after a personal invite from a Hampshire judge.

As a friend of Cherie, Judge Christopher Lee asked her to visit the clinic while she was in the area to see how the scheme worked first hand.

After spending an hour touring the clinic on Mayfield Road and speaking to people who had signed up to the scheme, Cherie told the Daily Echo how impressed she was with what she saw.

"It was the first time I had ever seen one of these orders in action and I was very much encouraged by what I saw.

"In speaking to everybody here I could see the real benefits of this scheme and it is certainly something that I will take into account when making my own judgements."

As a supporter of the drug treatment and testing orders, Judge Lee said he was delighted Cherie had accepted his invitation.

"I think the drug treatment and testing orders are the best thing to come along for the criminal justice system in a long time," he said.

She spent time chatting to several people who had been referred to the clinic in a bid to kick their drug habit and with it their offending.

One client, known only as 'Rod' said: "It is nice to get the recognition for what we are doing here, especially from people at the top.

"This is like a second chance for most of us here otherwise it would be prison. I would say at least 90 per cent of us here are making the most of that chance."

Acting manager of the clinic Sharon Ankin said: "We were delighted to welcome Mrs Blair and she was certainly very interested in the work we are doing here."