A BEREAVED mother says a gambling support service set up in her son's memory could have helped save his life if it had been around in his lifetime.

Janet Gamble, whose son Adrian killed himself in 2006 after spending thousands of pounds on gambling, was paying tribute to the York Gambling Service, set up by a reader of The Press touched by her son's story.

Alfred Redpath, 66, of Acomb, York, set up York Gambling Service last year.

Mr Gamble, 41, of Foxwood Hill, York, had wanted to meet people who experienced a similar problem to him, but was unable to find in the city a support group for gamblers.

Shortly after it was formed, York Gambling Service became Gamblers Anonymous (GA), where gamblers go to meet other gamblers, and where the family and friends of gamblers also go to meet. Mr Gamble's mother, Janet Gamble, goes along to meet the family and friends of gamblers in a bid to show her support for the service, which meets at the Citadel building, in Gillygate, every Wednesday.

Mrs Gamble, also of Foxwood Hill, said: "If York Gambling Service had been available before Adrian died it could have helped him and he might still be here now. It gives us as a family great comfort that other people with the same problems as Adrian can get help and support.

"I'm really amazed at the amount of people that have responded to this meeting. It's really amazing to see these people coming back each week.

"I just feel really blessed seeing how it's taken off in such a short time. It's not a year until June when it was Adrian's inquest and then it started to take off.

"Alf has been really good - a really good support to the group. He's there every week - he never misses."

Mrs Gamble said about seven people went to Gam Anon, the meeting of gamblers' family and friends, each week, and that GA, the meeting of gamblers, was "very well attended".

Mr Redpath, a retired bingo hall manager, said: "I'm really pleased with how it's taken off. Only last week the people from Leeds who came were saying how some groups only have two or three people - so we're doing quite well really."

A spokesman for GA said: "We're holding the meeting and anybody in the York area who's got a problem come along to the meeting - everybody's welcome, it's free of charge and it's a very friendly welcoming group."

The meetings take place at 8pm.