A former policeman whose cocaine habit led him to drug running for the Albanian mafia has been helping to turn around the lives of people suffering from addictions.

Nicholas Conn, an ex-Watford Grammar School pupil, saw his life spiral out of control after leaving the police force.

He spent five years snorting cocaine, running up thousands of pounds of debt while working as a property developer in Berlin, Germany, taking eight grams of cocaine a day.

Mr Conn, who now lives in Borehamwood, fell in with a bad crowd and began doing ‘favours’ for the Albanian Mafia by driving drugs from Berlin to Austria.

But he racked up debts of £10,000, so he fled to West Berlin, where he spent two weeks living on the streets.

When he woke up one morning covered in blood after having been beaten up, he phoned his mother and admitted everything.

He has even written a book - The Thin White Line - which he describes as the confessions of a cocaine cop.

Since then, Mr Conn has only had one goal - to help others who have fallen on hard times.

His company Help4Addiction, which he launched in 2015, has been helping people facing struggles with drugs and debt get the help they need.

But in the last few months, Mr Conn has helped launch a private rehabilitation centre in Elstree - offering a variety of treatment programmes run by qualified psychotherapists for people with addictions such as drugs, gambling, alcohol, sex, and eating disorders, but also for those who are coping with trauma.

Mr Conn said: "We've had around 80 people through the door at The Farm Dayhab. We want people to know there is help out there. Addiction strips everything.

"This type of programme helps give people their lives back. We can see the people we are helping are all becoming clean."

Nick Leslie, 26, is one of those who has gone through the doors at the dayhab and says the centre has helped keep him clean for more than 90 days.

Mr Leslie, who lives in Bushey, said: "This is the longest I have been clean since I was a teenager. I was using cocaine but it became so detrimental to my social and professional life.

"Eventually, I came clean to my family and signed off work and began attending cocaine anonymous meetings.

"Then I was introduced to Nick (Conn)."

Speaking about his time at the day hab, Mr Leslie said: "It's been incredible, especially being around like-minded people. Two things have really helped. The fact that it is non-residential and also that I've been able to continue working."

Mr Leslie, who works in sales, has been blogging his recovering journey since it began in August 5, uploading daily videos to YouTube.

You can see his journey by visiting 28 days of Rehab on YouTube and you can find out more about the dayhab by visiting thefarmdayhab.com