The director of a controversial film featuring a Middlesbrough drug addict has defended his work.

Paul McGuigan has insisted that scenes in his new BBC film showing Middlesbrough girl Michelle Pickthall injecting heroin into her neck had to be included to accurately tell her story.

The shocking scenes, to be aired tonight, are featured in BBC Two film Little Angels.

This is the first time such graphic images have been shown on British TV and McGuigan has defended his decision to include the shocking footage saying that viewers won't feel sorry but will come away knowing a human face behind the shadow of a heroin addict.

The film tells how the bright youngster started to shoot drugs and ply the streets as a child prostitute, to pay for her craving, after her mother died.

One shocking scene shows Michelle wince as the needle of a heroin filled syringe enters her tilted neck. She then slowly relaxes with a sigh as the drug takes hold.

The film, Little Angels, will be shown on BBC Two at 9pm this evening.