TO their neighbours, four Step by Step houses dotted around Southend look like any other home.

But these properties offer a lifeline to homeless people battling substance abuse, families fleeing domestic violence or criminals who have been released from prison.

Mark Holmes, 40, from Southend, battled addictions for 24 years. He was in and out of prison for offences including shoplifting as he tried to feed his heroin habit, before he was eventually jailed for six years for drug dealing.

He was released in 2010. Mark said: “My addiction took everything from me. It took my home, the clothes on my back, it reduced me to a man walking around Southend with all my possessions in a case and living on handouts.

“I realised there was only one thing waiting for me after this and that was death.”

He was put in touch with the Step by Step housing initiative by a drug drop-in session. He credits it for saving his life.

He added: “It has given me a chance to work on myself again and made me aware life is for living. Day by day I am dealing with my issues, I have lots of group therapy but it only works with the structure of you being honest about where you are at.

“I have a long way to go but I am just so grateful. Today I wake up and I have choices, I don’t have to take drugs and that is a great feeling.”

Billy Saxby, from Billericay, ended up on the streets as be battled 20 years of alcohol abuse. He is now “living a life beyond his wildest dreams.”

The 35-year-old, who was homeless for seven years, has been in Step by Step accommodation for two months. He said: “I got to a really bad stage where I was close to death and I realised I needed help. I knew if I went back on the streets, I would kill myself.”

Billy realised he was an alcoholic at the age of 25.

He said: “It built up and gradually brought me to a life of crime and I was an embarrassment to my family and myself.”

After living on the streets of London, Bristol and Cardiff, Billy returned to Essex. He added: “When I was admitted to Step by Step I was made to feel so welcome, which was also strange because I wasn’t used to that.

“Now I go to meetings and groups and it has gone better than my wildest dreams. I have stuck to it and I didn’t think I was capable of doing it but it seems to have brought another person out of me.

“I have managed to get my family back and met some amazing friends. The staff are really professional with what they do. I always thought people were better than me, I had no self-worth but now I can actually go out there and have a good understanding of the outside world.

“I have control over myself now, I was living a life of non-existence. I wake up in the morning in a double bed and can go have a shower, I don’t have to worry about someone urinating on me in the alleyway or kicking me in the head or calling me vicious names – it has really brought me back.

“I know now, I am ready. And to walk into a support network that is so powerful and so giving is just amazing.”

Cheryl Wright, 39, was stabbed by her abusive ex-partner in 2014. The domestic violence she experienced led to a heroin and crack cocaine habit, which saw her lose her five children.

She tried everything to get help while living in a toilet in Southend - before finding out about Step by Step.

She said: “Rock bottom was so devastating, I needed it to realise drugs isn’t the way forward. My addiction took me to a really dark place and I didn’t think I would get out of it.

“I’m 105 days clean so it has been amazing. The support I have got here is great, I have had counselling and I see my children which is really good.

“To actually feel happy is mad. I have pictures of my kids around me, which I haven’t had for five years. I still have a lot to work on but my goal every day is to keep clean.”

Step by Step Housing can provide accommodation for 19 homeless people within four family sized houses.