A HARD-HITTING anti-drugs play written and performed by high school pupils has taken to the stage.

"Sign of the Times" is a multi-racial production in English and Urdu aimed at warning parents about the dangers of drug abuse and how they can tackle it.

It was written by students at Edge End High School, Nelson, and backed by cash from the East Lancashire Health Authority from a fund set aside to tackle the drug problem.

The production was also supported by the police, youth and probation workers and Mid Pennine Arts.

Last night 18 students put on the powerful play at Brierfield Community Centre in front of an audience of about 70 people.

Co-ordinator Sarah Hill, youth and community worker at Brierfield Youth centre and a Pendle councillor, said: "I became very aware of the high levels of drugs available to young people in Brierfield.

"The health authority had some money available for anti-drugs work and that was used to put on the production. "The Edge End pupils have been working in their spare time on the play since May and last night was a great success. It went down very well with the audience.

"We wanted to make parents, particularly Asian parents, aware of the dangers of drugs.

"Actually they are very aware already but they don't know what to do about it. This play goes some way to showing what can be done."

The cast of 12 to 15 year olds are staging "Sign of the Times" at Nelson Civic Theatre tomorrow night and hope to perform the play twice more at the end of next month. The venues have not yet been fixed.

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