A TROUBLED drug-user took an accidental overdose of methadone, an inquest heard.

The court was told that Neil Whiting, 21, of Nigel Walk, Runcorn, had been deeply depressed before his death and struggling with off-and-on drug use.

The night before he died, Neil visited a friend who found her prescription of methadone and diazapan had gone.

He stayed the night at the home of another friend in Ferryview Walk. This friend found Neil dead.

A post mortem examination found traces of methadone and diazapan.

Returning a verdict of death due to non-dependent use of drugs, coroner Nicholas Rheinberg said: "There is no evidence that he intended to take his own life."

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