WITH her winning smile and bright blue eyes, Kate Walsh was a young girl with everything going for her.

She was a talented flautist who harboured an ambition to follow in her father's footsteps and become a professional folk musician.

But the youngster's life was ruined by drugs after she fell for a heroin addict.

Her parents' worst fears were realised when their daughter's body was found in a squat in Manchester Road, Swindon earlier this month.

Police believe that she died from an overdose.

Her parents, Debbie and Anthony, of Eastview Terrace, Highworth, said t they will remember Kate as a lively character with a gift for art.

Mr and Mrs Walsh tried in vain to help their daughter beat drugs.

They asked the police and social services to intervene but no-one could help because Kate was 16.

Now they have launched a quest to change the law to allow the authorities to intervene to protect young people over 16 who are at risk.

Mrs Walsh, 40, said: "We are trying to come to terms with the awful circumstances we find ourselves having to deal with.

"However, we want to find out why the system let us and Kate down so badly." Mr Walsh, 45, added that neither he nor his wife were blaming Swindon police.

Kate met her boyfriend while he was trying to beat his drug addiction at a treatment centre when she was 14.

The man, who was then 25, was ordered to leave when staff became aware of the relationship.

Mr Walsh said: "We want to know why the centre's managers didn't make this known to us, as her parents, or the police or Kate's school when they found out."

The man is now believed to be in prison.

The treatment centre declined to comment until staff had seen a statement prepared by Kate's family.

Kate, who had a younger sister and elder brother, left the family home in March soon after her 16th birthday.

In September, her parents tracked her down to a women's refuge in Swindon.

The former Warneford School pupil moved back home and it was then that she admitted her drug problem and asked for help.

Things got so bad that she asked to be sectioned under the Mental Health Act.

The last time her parents saw her was on December 22 when she left home. Anyone who saw her between that time and January 3 should call Swindon police on 01793 528111.