THE mother of a young man who died from heroin has given a heart-rending account of the last two years of his life.

Tom Ronchard died at the age of 24 at the home of his aunt in Badsey Road, Willersey, last October and an inquest later recorded a verdict of death caused by non-dependent use of drugs.

Now his mother, Wendy Halling, has told how her loving son, idolised by his four younger half-brothers and half-sister, was just days away from returning to treatment to wean him off heroin when he died.

"I think it was so unfair," she said. "Heroin was the villain. It robbed Tom of a normal life and it has robbed us of a lovely son."

She said Tom had already been through a course of methadone, but had been unable to kick his heroin habit. He then had a three-month wait before starting a second course of methadone. "He had a letter saying he had an appointment for a few days after he died," said Mrs Halling, aged 44.

French-born Tom's natural father, Francoise, helped her look after him through his final weeks and she said: "During those last few weeks Francoise took him to see a counsellor and he was even talking about going back to college. He was doing all the right things."

She added: "Throughout it all he was always lovely with the kids. He loved his brothers and sister and really we became closer than we had ever been through those last few weeks."

Tom, a former pupil of Chipping Campden School, had started experimenting with drugs at the age of 13 or 14, but his mother said: "We didn't know anything about it. I didn't suspect anything at all and didn't really think about drugs, to tell the truth.

"As he was getting older he would go out with his mates in the evenings, but he was always back when we told him to be.

"We didn't know anything until I read through a letter I had seen from the doctors that he was applying for a methadone course."

She said she later realised that Tom had been on heroin for as long as three or four years before his death, but at the time in 1999 it had been a huge shock.

"When I found out I was horrified and he did finally admit it," said Mrs Halling. "Initially I was angry as well. You go through all sorts of emotions in fact."

Despite his addiction, she said Tom desperately wanted to stop other family members knowing. "He still wanted a bit of dignity and respect. It was an awful battle for him," she said.

For the last 18 months of his life he worked conscientiously as a vinyl fitter for his stepfather, Phil, trying to fight his addiction.

Yet things then went wrong. Mrs Halling said: "It must have got to a point where he was having to have a bit more and a bit more and we found out he a few weeks before he died that he had taken company cheques and forged my husband's signature."

Tom then moved out of home to live in a caravan near Moreton owned by Francoise, who, along with Mrs Halling, made daily visits to see him.

Although he was close to returning to methadone treatment, he still needed his daily fix of heroin, which his parents gave him the money for. "It was awful," said Mrs Halling. "We could see him suffering. If he hadn't had anything for a number of hours he would start vomiting and have cramps and be pleading with us to take him to get some.

"We always said we would do it up until he got back on the methadone programme."

On the day of his death Tom was at his aunt's, who called Mrs Halling as soon as she realised Tom was locked in the bathroom and she could get no response from him.

By the time she arrived, said Mrs Halling: "I found him there slumped under the sink. I will always have that image in my mind."

The recently-released photographs of another heroin addict, taken after her death, have shocked many, and Mrs Halling said: "It brought back images of Tom. I think that would shock non-users, but for someone on heroin maybe it won't, because when they need it, they need it and that's all they are thinking about."

Six months after her son's death she still does not believe there is enough help for drug users and their families in the area.

"I think there should be some sort of advice for parents and some form of counselling," she said.

"As far as I know there's nothing like a drop-in centre around here where users can just walk in at any time if they are feeling low and just talk to somebody."

She said it should be easier for people to obtain their prescribed methadone. She added: "Hopefully this would, with the necessary counselling and support, increase the success level of addicts who actually manage to get off this wicked substance (currently about eight per cent), with the knock-on effect of reducing crime related to these drugs and lessening the ability of dealers to make vast profits out of their victims."

People available to help victims and their families.

Worcester Drug Link 01905 724853 - parents and partners can ask John Devereaux for advice, or there are six members of staff who can help users.

Warwickshire Substance Misuse Services, Woodleigh Beeches help-line 01926 410281

Stratford - Community drugs team at Waterside 01789 261800.

St Saviour's Addiction Rehabilitation Centre 01386 841029.

Groups set up by parents: Stratford PAD (Parents Against Drugs), Lesley Green, 01789 261376. Evesham PAST (Parents & Addicts Support Team) contact Linda Huggan on 01386 446580.

Signs to look for

Personality change

Mood swings

Tiredness

Sallow complexion

Changing friendships

Money going missing

Tin foil in bedrooms