Huddled in an alleyway, heroin addicts inject the deadly drug into their bodies.

The pictures were taken in broad daylight just yards from Leeds University.

As the addicts got their fix, people went about their daily business, completely oblivious to the depraved scenes unfolding nearby.

The images certainly don't make pleasant viewing. But then the truth about drug addiction isn't pretty.

New research shows the illegal drugs trade is flourishing, despite tough action by police and customs.

Seizures are failing to curb demand or supply at street level.

Leeds's drug problem is no better or worse than pretty much any big town or city in Britain.

And police in the city are getting results, with anti-drugs Operation Brava leading to more than 670 people being charged with drug offences.

But the fact that these users were prepared to inject themselves in public shows there is still much work to be done.

Last year, 18 people from Leeds and Wakefield died from drugs-related causes.

The number of drug-dependent deaths is also on the up.

We may not often glimpse this sad, seedy side of city life.

But these horrifying images show that it's still there, lurking just beneath the surface.

And that there's still a long way to go before the war on drugs is won.



Trojan force

VANDAL attacks on buses are mindless.

They're also expensive. And bus firms have little option but to fund the cost of fixing the damage by bumping up passenger fares.

So a police operation to combat the problem is to be applauded.

Police in Leeds used a decoy 'Trojan bus' carrying officers posing as covert passengers while others followed in an unmarked car.

The ploy netted three youths who launched an attack on the bus.

Now the strategy is set to be repeated.

It's good to see our police using ingenuity to clamp down on yobs who plague our public transport system. More of the same, please.



Musical boost

THE legendary Leeds Town & Country Club was much missed when it shut its doors eight years ago.

So its reopening as the Leeds Academy is great news for the city's buoyant music scene.

Top bands have already been lined up to play at the 2,300-capacity venue. It's a great addition to the city's list of venues and will help lure big names.

Now all we need is a Leeds Arena to complete the picture.