A DRUG and alcohol addiction service that sprang out of Edinburgh’s “Trainspotting” era has been saved from closure after receiving substantial funding days before it was due to close.

North Edinburgh Drug and Alcohol Centre was set up in the 1980s at the height of the city’s notorious heroin and AIDS epidemic, which was depicted in Irvine Welsh’s book and consequent blockbuster film.

Staff were just 11 days away from being made redundant when the National Lottery confirmed a decision to award the project £437,000 from the Big Lottery Fund.

It helps safeguard the future of the service for the next three years.