THE MOTHER of a heroin user told of her heartache at finding out about his death through his friends.

Beatrice Porter, of Copse Avenue, Stratton, criticised the police at an inquest yesterday for not informing her sooner.

Wiltshire Constabulary formally apologised to the Porter family for the distress this caused.

Mrs Porter said: "I found out from two of Bryn's friends who came knocking at our door. They knew before we did.

"I was not even aware my son was taking drugs.

"He had talked about taking his own life and said he no longer wanted to be a nuisance to us."

Her husband Brian said: "We might not have known for even longer had I not phoned the police myself."

Bryn Porter, 23, died on July 31 last year after injecting himself with heroin at The Foyer, a housing support project in Bath Road, Old Town.

The manager of the project did not phone the police for more than an hour after the incident occurred.

There had also been no communication between the hospital, the ambulance service or the police. Bryn Porter had written his mother a suicide note weeks before his death, but the inquest at Swindon police station concluded that Mr Porter's death was not suicide but death from non-dependent drug abuse.

He had been taking heroin frequently but not regularly.

Coroner Nigel Brookes concluded that his tolerance to the drug had probably fluctuated which meant his body could not cope with it.

Forensic reports showed his blood contained three times the typical tolerance level.

Mr Porter had been living at home with his parents in Stratton but had also spent time at The Foyer in Bath Road.

Shortly before his death he had been arrested for stealing money from his parents' bank account.

He had already asked them for money, which he claimed was for a deposit on a flat.

Coroner Nigel Brookes said: "I would guess perhaps that the money was being spent on drugs and he was just spinning his family and friends a yarn in order to get money."

Mr Porter and his friend Paul Donachie bought the fatal bag of heroin earlier that day.

Mr Porter later injected it, while Mr Donachie smoked it.

Mr Donachie fell asleep and when he awoke at around 1pm he found Mr Porter slumped at the end of his bed. His face and ears were blue and he was not responding.

The ambulance was called immediately but the police were not aware of the death until 3pm.

Mr and Mrs Porter did not know their son had died until after 9pm.

Coroner Nigel Brookes made recommendations that The Foyer improves its emergency procedures.

Foyer manager Heather Wong told him that the procedures would be reviewed.

He will also make recommendations to the emergency services to improve commun- ications.

Verdict: death by non-dependent drug abuse.

Emma-Kate Lidbury