ALMOST three years after embarking on an alcohol treatment programme in Bournemouth, football legend Paul Gascoigne is still a regular visitor at the addictions centre.

The ex-England, Tottenham Hotspur and Newcastle player often pops into the Boscombe-based Providence Projects to offer words of encouragement to drug and alcohol addicts.

Treatment director Paul Spanjar said: “Paul is a real inspiration, we still see him a couple of times a week.

“He lives nearby and often drops in to meet new clients.

“When they first arrive they feel hopeless and can’t see where they are going; the detox stage is very difficult and sometimes just spending five minutes talking to Paul can make all the difference.

“It’s probably because he has been through rehab many times that they can identify with his story; they almost hang on his every word.

“Sometimes Paul goes into the kitchen and puts his arm around them; he spends time with our clients who just want to get better.

“Despite having a long-term serious alcohol problem, Paul has been there many times for other people.

“He is a very kind-hearted, generous man who wants to help and give something back. I think it reminds him of where he was and where he could be.”

The 45-year-old star has returned to Bournemouth after breaking down on stage at a charity event in Northampton earlier this year and spending a month at a clinic in Arizona.

Paul Spanjar said: “I saw him a couple of days ago and he looked really well; he was in very good spirits.”

Other high profile celebrities who have checked in to the Providence Projects, where treatment costs between £600 and £900 a week, have included DJ Norman Cook, better known as Fatboy Slim, and Matt Willis from pop rock band Busted.