THERE are no easy answers to explain how the death of teenager Kate Walsh from a suspected drug overdose could have been prevented.

Her parents knew she had made friends with drug users and had left her comfortable home for a life of danger, but they felt powerless to help their daughter.

The police are not prepared to comment about Kate's case. Generally it appears that once someone is 16 they are not treated as a missing child and the individual circumstances are assessed to decide if they are vulnerable enough for a search warrant to be issued.

Kate and her family did get help from Stepping Forward Drug Project. They say parents need to recognise that drug addiction is an illness and the sufferer needs support as the situation seldom improves on its own. Families in this sort of crisis can also get help from Druglink and the Swindon and Wiltshire Alcohol and Drug centre.

And you can help stop the drugs getting on to the streets by shopping the dealers by phoning the Advertiser-backed Swindon Drugs Helpline.

Those who peddle drugs to our young people must not be tolerated in our society.