A FATHER-of-five who beat heroin addition 15 times finally gave up the needle after 'finding GOD'.

Sean Kelly, 42, put his faith in the church community to overcome his drug problem - which spanned over two decades.

But it wasn't until his young children were visiting a church playgroup and dragged him along - that he saw a new side to life.

Sean is now one of the key leaders in the church's 12-Step Recovery Programme, a course that is run all year round.

Sean said: "My addiction didn't last long at all did ha - I have been in the game for 23 years.

"I instantly knew it was not right and tried to sort it out. I have been in treatment too many times to mention - but my heroin use did not get any better until February 2016."

Sean was born in Belfast but moved to Bolton, Grtr Mancs., in 1980 following his parents' divorce when he was just five.

After he was abused, Sean started taking heroin when he reached 18 - after developing a habit more advanced from cannabis and alcohol.

He was moved to a foster home on a council estate called Oldhams in Bolton and lived with Carole Adams who he calls his "second mum".

He was taken into care by social services at the age of 12.

Sean said: "Things were pretty rough at home - we did not have much. I was drinking, smoking and taking cannabis."

Sean met his now wife, called Kelly, 31, in 2011 and married two years late.

He was pulled along to Oldhams Church by his children who wanted to attend the kids' clubs with their school friends.

He said: "I had been to a couple of Christmas services and found it a really friendly place to be. It was family.

"At church, I found myself praying for the man who abused me. My life has changed immeasurably.

"I have been clean since February last year. I know all the trips and triggers.

"I know it all and the only thing that is different this time to the 15 times before is Jesus."

The church was launched in February 2016 by Church of England planter Rev Ben Woodfield.

The course is accessible to people of all ages and faiths, and relevant to drug users, alcoholics, substance abusers and more.

Church pastor Ben Woodfield, 36, said: "I have walked closely with Sean over these past 12 months - this sort of thing does not happen very often.

"The time of recovery is often years long but Sean has taken the bull by the horns and said he has had enough.

"Part of that journey for him was joining the church and finding God. He is a different person.

"The life had been sucked out of him but now there is a brightness - he is smiling."