Focus president Rory Gorman has played down speculation about island drug camp retreat Camp Spirit closing down - despite a leaked document revealing it had been on the agenda at the last board meeting.

He said the item which read 'Timetable for closure of Camp Spirit' at Monday's meeting should have had the word closure in inverted commas.

And he repeated his stance that a decision on the future of the Darrell's Island camp would be reviewed when a consultant has completed his report.

He said people now on the course would complete it and it was possible there would be another three-month intake running until June when the camp will have to shut anyway because the Island is always turned over for general camping at that time of year.

He said of the leaked agenda: "I would not get too cut up looking at that. It's not like we are planning for closure."

Rumours of the possible closure of the camp caused a storm of protest from reformed addicts who said the retreat made the difference in helping them beat their habit.

They fear any temporary closure could drag on for months just like Fairhavens, the drug treatment centre for women, which was shut for far longer than predicted when it was revamped, causing some addicts to opt for jail rather than try to fight their sickness on the streets.

Asked if the issue could have been handled better Mr. Gorman said: "That's speculation. You are still going to get anxiety.

"People have a tendency, fuelled by the media, to pick up the worst that can possible be."