THE "forgotten" parents of drug users, left by statutory agencies to fend for themselves, are being offered a helping hand by a group of Kidderminster churchgoers.

Parishioners who founded the Family Support Group in June said people faced with heart-rending situations were finding it "impossible" to get help.

Jeff Greenway, who helped set up the group with other members of Amblecote Christian Centre, said: "There's a lot of help targeted at those on drugs but there's chaos going on in some of the families and no-one is actively addressing that. You have parents in dire situations with no-one to turn to."

He said parents often faced financial hardship as their children, in order to buy drugs, stole property from the home.

"Videos will disappear and addicts will come up with all sorts of elaborate schemes," he added.

He said one scam which two families attending the support group found had been used on them involved a letter, purporting to be from an insurance company, asking for £100 following an accident involving their child while riding someone else's motorbike.

In addition, stresses placed on the relationship of the addict's parents could lead to marriage breakdown.

He added: "It is difficult for parents to seek support from friends and relatives when they are themselves consumed with shame often blaming themselves for the situation.

"People in this situation often find it impossible to find help when facing difficult and often heart-rending decisions in dealing with the addict under their roof."

Families who have been through the drugs hell, and survived, provide support. There are also talks by guest speakers.

Mr Greenway said: "This is a problem which affects the whole social spectrum, from the well-off, middle class to families who are largely unemployed. Everyone is at risk."

The group meets on the first Monday of every month at King Charles I School, Comberton Road, Kidderminster, at 8pm.