A new charity foundation has set tackling the borough’s ‘cocaine epidemic’ as its top priority.

Brothers Josh and Jake Allen have set up the Walmsley Foundation, in memory of their grandfather, councillor Brian Walmsley, and intend to tackle issues affecting residents in Hyndburn.

Under the banner of the ‘Hyndburn Action Group’, the pair want to work with organisations, such as Red Rose Recovery, Inspire, as well as the local council and police force, to form a concerted effort against rising cocaine use after the Accrington Observer’s campaign revealed the high numbers of young people dying from the drug.

Josh, 23, said: “Our idea is to hold a community campaign with everyone possible to bring awareness that there is help for cocaine users and addicts.

“We want to highlight what it’s doing to people’s lives, and how it’s affecting their families.

“There has been a massive influx into the borough, it’s becoming so cheap and accessible for people.

“I know people can order cocaine like it’s an app, with dealers doing ‘special offers’.”

He added: “For us the issue has been crystallised by what the Observer’s reported happening over the last few months, with all the people dying.

“We want to do something to tackle it and we think the only way to defeat this epidemic is as a community.”

Josh said he is in contact with ‘The Loop’, an organisation that runs pop-up drug testing and hopes to get them out in Accrington during the Bank Holiday weekend.

He said: “People need to see what it is they are actually taking.

“I think we have to use more shock tactics to get people to understand the effects.”

The realities of the lethal drug are close to home for care assistant Jake, from Accrington, after he lost a close friend to an overdose last year.

The 22-year-old said: “He knew he had a problem and he asked for help, but he didn’t get what he needed and carried on and this drug took him.

“I knew him all my life, he was more like a brother than a friend so it was very hard.

“It’s left a lasting impression on me, people don’t take cocaine seriously enough they always think it’s just a bit of fun.

“They don’t think about what can happen.”

The Foundation is currently applying to the Charity Commission for official charity status.

The Observer has launched a campaign to highlight the devastating toll that cocaine is taking on our communities.

We have joined forces with coroner Michael Singleton to launch our Killer Cocaine: Stop the Deaths campaign after he warned that deaths caused by this evil drug have reached epidemic levels.

In the last nine months alone the number of people officially recorded as having lost their lives in the Hyndburn area as a result of using cocaine has risen to 17.

The youngest was 16 years old, the oldest just 33.

These are just the cases to have reached the coroner and it is thought that the actual number could be much higher.

Mr Singleton is at a loss to explain why this epidemic is occurring here and now in Accrington, but it is thought increased availability or a drop in price could be to blame.

We are calling on all sections of the Hyndburn community to pull together to take this evil drug off our streets.

So please watch out for signs of cocaine use, make sure your loved ones are aware of the dangers and give the police the information they need to bring down the dealers profiting from this deadly powder.

What you can do to help:

l Educate yourself and others – National organisations such as Frank offer detailed explanations of what the short-term and long-term effects of drug use are and the risks.

l Talk openly about it – Speak to friends and family and create an honest dialogue about drug use.

l Spot signs of use – Cocaine can change people’s personality. In the short term cocaine can make a user feel confident and wide awake. But repeated use can cause agitated behaviour, mood swings, severe addiction and heart attacks.

l Offer support – If you are concerned someone you know is taking cocaine, offer support or encourage them to get help.

l Seek help and advice – Confidential 24-hour chatlines and local services are open for anyone with concerns.

l Alert police – if you suspect someone might be dealing drugs, tell police on 101 or anonymously by calling Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.