A crisis which put Bradford's pioneering needle exchange scheme in jeopardy has been averted.

Health chiefs were forced to introduce rationing of needles and syringes due to spiralling costs of the service prompted by the dramatic rise in heroin use in the area.

At one stage more than 50,000 needles a month were being handed out to users but latest figures show the emergency measures have stabilised demand at 40,000 a month.

Now health and Bradford Council bosses say the future of the service, used by about 1,400 people on average twice a month, has been safeguarded.

Dr Julian Roberts, consultant in public health at Bradford Health Authority, said sufficient funding had been secured for the next year.

The major fear of introducing the measures, limiting handouts to 20 a week, had been increased sharing of needles between users but there was no evidence this had happened.

Significant numbers of heavy users had re-used their own needles, damaging their veins, but it had been decided to ease the restrictions in individual cases which alleviated the problem.

"The major findings in terms of problems with the restrictions were people re-using rather than sharing needles which had been the concern," Dr Roberts added.

He said budgets were still being drawn up for the coming year but it might be possible to ease restrictions or introduce further health improvements, including issuing condoms.

Two-thirds of users were now given needles and syringes from drugs agencies as part of a conscious move to give them expert advice on their habits.

"The whole aim is to minimise drug use through a balance of personal responsibility in taking drugs and their responsibility to change their drug habit," he said.

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