SWAPPING drugs for dance are a group of former addicts who are using performance to spread the word that there is life after recovery.

Fallen Angels dance theatre group – a combination of professional dancers and a performers recovering from substance misuse, – held a sell-out performance at the Pyramid on Thursday.

It was a special homecoming for four members who saw the dancers perform last year in the town through Warrington rehabilitation centre Trust The Process while they were still in treatment.

Claire Morris, project manager, said: “The members in recovery help to inspire our professional dancers and using people’s real life stories and translating that into dance helps keep the show as true to life as possible.

“It’s challenging to watch but at the end there is hope. It shows people can recover which is a message not many people see.”

Dancer Nick Reed, aged 37, from Macclesfield got involved with Fallen Angels after receiving treatment from the rehab centre on Sankey Street.

His crack cocaine addiction had led to three years in a South American prison after being caught drug trafficking and being forced to learn to read, write and walk again after brain surgery.

The dad-of-four has now set up groups to help others through addiction and said performing in the show was a milestone he was looking forward to reaching after seeing the Fallen Angels show in Warrington last year.

He said: “It has been great for me to give something back.

“I never dreamed of being able to do something like this during my days of addiction.

“I was 10 minutes away from being dead and then I finally said enough was enough.”

Phillip Ashby, aged 35, is still in £30,000 of debt after taking what he describes as ‘horrendous’ amounts of cocaine.

The Leeds man, who now lives in Liverpool, was hit by a car and had to learn to walk again during 20 years of addiction.

He said: “Some of the dance was created by me and Nick based on our experiences which feels amazing.

“We use Fallen Angels to express ourselves.

“I was a mess during my addiction and felt like a broken man but that’s when I finally held my hands up and accepted help.”

Fallen Angels is funded by the Arts Council and National Lottery funds.