A heroin addict who was thought to be recovering well died after a sudden relapse.

Lance Mendham's body was found in a flat in Caroline Court, Brunswick Street, Maidstone on January 5.

An inquest today heard no drugs were in Mr Mendham's system during a test taken just a few days before his death.

West Kent and Drug Alcohol Wellbeing Service said Mr Mendham had been responding well to an opiate substitute programme.

In 2016, Mr Mendham from Water Lane, Hunton, lost two fingers in a work accident.

In the days before his death, Mr Mendham had agreed to reduce the amount of heroin substitute he was taking, with a view to getting off it all together.

The inquest heard the 30-year-old's mother had some concerns he could relapse the day before he died.

Assistant coroner Sonia Hayes said: "Mr Mendham had a family who clearly cared for him and tried for long periods of time to help him. They even once found him suffering with positional asphyxia and had the unhappy task of having to help him.

"Clearly Lance made a decision, for whatever reason, to take drugs. He was making efforts to try and stay abstinent.

"This was unsuccessful, despite the support of his family."

Mrs Hayes ruled Mr Mendham's passing was a drug related death, supported by the fact a post mortem gave his cause of death as a fatal morphine consumption.

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