CHILDREN encountered what they believed were real drug addicts during a school trip with a difference.

The extreme shock tactics were used to show children the horrific impact of drug and alcohol addiction.

Youngsters encountered what they believed were real-life heroin junkies, aggressive drunks and cocaine addicts during a school trip to the Alnwick Garden, a contemporary public garden created by the Duchess of Northumberland.

The ''addicts'' were in fact actors wearing professional TV-quality make-up to appear as convincing as possible.

Groups of 12-year-olds were only told the truth at the end of their trip.

In one traumatising scene, the children were shown a female junkie arguing with her partner over her next "fix", and in another a drunk lying slumped in the corner of a room, having wet his trousers.

Ecstasy and cannabis-users were also depicted by actors from the specialist Gibber Theatre Company.

About 100 year eight pupils from two schools experienced the project yesterday.

The so-called Reality Tours, developed with Northumberland County Council's drug education team, aim to bring the dangers of drugs to life and will now be evaluated for possible roll-out across the country.

The Duchess of Northumberland, founding trustee of the Alnwick Garden, said: "Reality Tours will be shocking and probably quite unnerving for lots of our visitors.

''But we have always done things differently here and that goes for our approach to drugs education too.

''Children will be here on a fun day out and it will be interesting to see their reactions to passing drug addicts.

''The realities of turning to drugs will be plain to see.''

Trudi Eadington, assistant headteacher of Wensleydale Middle School, one of the first schools to take part in the scheme, said: "Reality Tours gives pupils a new perspective on drugs and brings to life some hard-hitting messages under rather incongruous circumstances, which only intensifies the experience for the children."

Parents' approval for the tour was sought by schools in advance.

Councillor Carol Leckie, of Northumberland County Council, said: "The Reality Tours could become a key preventative initiative. We will be watching its progress closely."