Drug counselling service Focus has shut its doors citing a lack of funding.

The body is funded by The Council Partners Charitable Trust and the National Drug Commission but yesterday a notice was posted on its doors saying the Angle Street facility would be closed until further notice.

Council Partners treasurer Tom Conyers said funding was contingent on the board coming up with a plan to deal with issues raised in the recent report into the running of Focus.

One client told The Royal Gazette that the Council Partners were trying to get rid of executive director Sandy Butterfield.

Mr. Conyers denied this but said it was for the Focus board to deal with. Mrs. Butterfield could not be reached for comment yesterday.

The funding crisis has also meant that the three-month long Island drug retreat Camp Spirit which was due to start on Wednesday will not run.

Mr. Conyers said he was hoping to hear from the Focus board by the end of next week about how they would handle restructuring but he said Focus did not have any immediate funding problems apart from a few bills they "didn't have to pay".

One client told The Royal Gazette: "I believe at a time when drugs are prevalent throughout society this proven establishment is being held hostage.

"Sandy has been around for quite some time and has touched a lot of lives. She's hands on. It would be tragedy if she was removed."

On Wednesday evening and emergency meeting was held at Focus clients had the opportunity to vent their displeasure over recent developments to Council Partners Chairman Gordon Thompson and chairman of fundraising Austin Warner.

Recovering addict Raymond Evans who works as a caretaker at Focus said: "Sandy is one person who has reached out to so many people, it galls them. All they do is collect money.

"There is a lot of anger about this. There is no problem with the NDC, it's the Council Partners."