The Evening Advertiser has joined forces with police to launch a telephone hotline enabling people to report suspected drug dealers and already it is getting results. TAMASH LAL reports on its progress and how one mum wants your help in catching the dealers

A MOTHER whose son died from a heroin overdose has endorsed the Swindon Drugs Hotline campaign.

Jan Andersen believes her son Kristian committed suicide by taking an overdose of the drug.

Kristian died at the age of just 20 in November last year after a three-year battle with heroin.

Jan, a freelance writer from Freshbrook, threw her weight behind the campaign by the Evening Advertiser and the police to root out those who profit from drugs.

She said: "We have to prevent people from taking drugs in the first place. Clamping down on the dealers is one of the best ways of doing this.

"A lot of dealers pray on vulnerable people like my son. If teenagers are feeling low, they will ask them to try drugs, saying it will make them feel better.

"What they don't say is that it will control the rest of their lives, and lead to greater problems."

Jan is mystified as to why her son, who had recently become a father when he died, became involved with heroin.

He had a loving family and was once a promising student at the Ridgeway School in Wroughton.

At the age of 14 he travelled to the Antarctic with explorer David Hempleman-Adams after winning a competition in the Advertiser.

Jan, who has three other children, said: "Soon after the trek he ditched his nice friends, and just fell in with the wrong crowd.

"He was very easily led, and I think that if someone had offered him heroin, he would have taken it because he wouldn't have realised the danger."

Kristian's body was found in a stairwell outside his girlfriend's flat in Walcot. Two suicide notes and a syringe were found nearby wrapped up in his favourite jumper.

Since Kristian's death, Jan has become interested in the whole issue of drug abuse and has set up a website for children struggling with depression.

She said: "We need to teach our children to have the strength to say no to drugs. I hope they do have the courage to report dealers to the hotline, which I completely endorse."

Since its launch on Monday, 34 people have called the hotline.

Detective Sergeant Gerry Watkins, of the divisional intelligence unit at Swindon police station, said: "We've had some good stuff, but some has been a bit vague.

"We really need as much detail as possible about suspected dealers.

"Ideally, we need precise names and addresses."