A BEWSEY filmmaker has teamed up with a former Coronation Street star to help people battling drug and alcohol addiction.

David McCollom spent 12 weeks in Brighton recording Recovery Street with Kevin Kennedy, who played Curly Watts in the soap.

The Big Lottery funded project shows how eight people have overcome their addictions and how their lives have changed since then.

The aim is to inspire others who are facing similar battles with the film being shown on the Community Channel every Friday in March at 7.30pm, starting tomorrow.

David, a former Bewsey High School pupil, said: “We wanted to show people there’s life after drugs and alcohol.

“There are so many different people I speak to about recovery from varied backgrounds and cultures.

“It’s just a very emotional thing to listen to and shows drugs and alcohol can affect people from all walks of life.”

Fourteen years ago David regularly used heroin, crack cocaine and barbiturates.

The 48-year-old turned his life around when he went into rehab at the Pierpoint Centre in St Annes on Sea. He has not touched drugs since January 2002.

He then set up his own production company, DMC Media, to help others 10 years ago.

Since then he has worked with the likes of Darren Day and met the Duchess of Cambridge.

David produced Recovery Street for Kevin and Clare, who are both recovering alcoholics, after they secured £10,000 in Lottery funding.

He added: “It helps me massively because it reminds me of where I come from and where I don’t want to go back to.

“We identify with each other and relate to each other and there is a common ground there.”

David’s hope with his films is to change or even save people’s lives.

“That’s the main thing,” he said.

“Only last week another friend had died through alcoholism.

“In the past I met someone who said: ‘I was sat in a waiting room, I saw one of your films and it gave me hope. I got myself sorted out and I got my daughter back’. That sent shivers down my spine.”

David also does professional film work which is unconnected to recovery.

He recently worked with the Mayor of Warrington, Cllr Faisal Rashid, on Warrington’s Got Talent and is set to do some filming for Warrington Disability Partnership.

David added: “I came back to Warrington two years ago after because my nan was ill.

“I was previously in St Annes on Sea for 11 years because that’s where I went to rehab.

“I’m a Warrington lad and I’m so proud because I can stand really strong in my community today.”

Recovery Street is on Fridays at 7.30pm on the Community Channel throughout March. The Community Channel is on 269 on Virgin, 539 on Sky and 164 on Freesat