Children as young as eight are being used as drug runners for heroin dealers on Bradford's council estates.

Drug workers say the youngsters have been lured into making doorstep deliveries - often using empty fizzy drink cans - in exchange for pocket money.

The children, many of whom are under 10 and therefore below the age of criminality, are being deliberately chosen by the drug dealers to enable them to ply their evil trade without being caught by police.

But Bradford's drug workers fear the sinister new development will lead the child couriers into becoming the next generation of addicts of the drug which is now available in the city for as little as £1 a wrap.

Debbie Allen, service manager at the city's Bridge Project, which offers support and help on how to kick the habit to more than 400 drug users a week, said: "Eight-year-olds have been known to act as runners for dealers and will go round delivering wraps of heroin to homes on Bradford's council estates.

"The kids are used because they can run, they are not going to be picked up by the police and neighbours do not get suspicious about an eight-year-old calling round every day."

Today, Sgt Neil Hunter, of the Odsal Drugs Management Team, urged people to get in touch if they suspected youngsters were being used as runners for heroin dealers.

"Drug dealers employ a number of different methods, but we've never known of children as young as eight being used. If this is happening then we would want to do something about it very quickly.

"The thought of eight-year-olds in possession of drugs leaves a very nasty taste in the mouth."

Miss Allen said youngsters were often introduced to drug running through older members of the family.

"The age of heroin use is dropping. The fear is that if they start as runners, sooner or later they will be tempted into trying heroin." added Ms Allen.

Yvonne Troy, who runs the Buttershaw-based Ripple Project, which offers practical help and support to drug users, said she has witnessed the young drug runners.

Mrs Troy said: "A lot of the dealing goes on around the shops, but a dealer would not stand there with ten wraps of heroin in case the police came. So they give it to the kids to hold - or hide the heroin behind a bush or in an empty pop can.

"When they are as young as eight I don't think they realise what they are doing - but if the children are 10 or 11, then maybe they will take their payment in a wrap of heroin."

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