A DRUGS treatment service has been strongly criticised for failing to provide a proper service for several months over the summer in Winchester.

The criticism comes in the annual report of the organisation it replaced in offering the help to addicts.

CRi had won the contract to provide a drugs service in Winchester, leading to the closure in March of Rupert's the service run by Trinity.

In the report, an unnamed drug addict said that four months later the new service was still not running properly, leaving 112 registered clients with little support.

The user wrote: "It is a disgrace that we are in the second week of August and still there is no service from CRi. Rupert's staff had helped me through some very difficult times."

"The room that CRi opened in the Winchester Centre is not regarded as a service by Rupert's clients and has been given little more than a passing glance."

The user added: "Although I do not blame my recent relapses on anyone but myself, I believe that the lack of a drug service drop-in centre could have made a difference to my ability to regain control of these relapses and a huge difference to other Rupert's clients.

"Rupert's made a huge difference to me and is missed by many. These services can make the difference beween life and death and ours was taken away from us."

Mike Pattinson, director of operations at CRi, said the new service became fully operational on August 14 at its new base in St Clement Street.

"There were delays and only an interim skeleton service until we got planning permission. Between April and July the service was not the service we were commissioned to run and that was unfortunate."

Michelle Gardner, chief executive of Trinity, said the view in the annual report was a personal one by an addict.

"We are disappointed that the new service was not open fully. We will be pleased when it is up and running."

The Trinity is meeting Hampshire Drug and Alcohol Action Team which commissions the treatment service to discuss its concerns over the tendering process.

Meanwhile Trinity is still fund-raising to reach its target for its new centre, proposed for the Durngate.

Ms Gardner said a decision would be taken soon to start work even though not all the funding was in place.

"We have enough to commence building," he added.

"We have discussed how much we would need to have raised before we felt confident to go ahead."