A CORONER said he was 'extremely worried' about how a prescribed drug was easily available on the streets following the death of an art student.

Andre Rebello said over-prescribing of methadone by GPs could lead to such a situation.

He was summing up at an inquest into the death of Andrew Burrows, 29, who had taken nearly three times the fatal level of methadone when found dead in bed by his mother, Margaret. Methadone is a heroin substitute prescribed to help addicts.

A Blackburn inquest heard that Andrew, of Whalley Road, Clayton-le-Moors, had become heavily involved in drugs and alcohol but was determined to overcome his addiction. He was a bright art student who had studied at Liverpool University and gained a degree at Chelsea Art College.

His friend, Craig Scholes, of Reed Street, Clayton-le-Moors, admitted supplying methadone to Andrew but denied selling it. He had been prescribed the drug for his own heroin addiction.

Mr Scholes had earlier been given a conditional discharge by magistrates after pleading guilty to a charge of supplying a controlled class A drug.

Andrew was found dead in bed the next day at his parents home at Alexandra Close, Clayton-le-Moors.

Home office pathologist Dr John Rutherford said nearly three times the fatal amount of methadone had been found in his blood. Cause of death was overdose.

Coroner Andre Rebello said it would never be known how so much methadone was in his body when he had been supplied a relatively small amount.

He added: "I am extremely troubled how people in the area are prescribed more methadone than they need. If the proper amount was prescribed it would not end up on the streets.

"I fail to understand why medical practitioners do not give daily dosages of methadone so people being treated for heroin abuse can only get their prescription from day to day.

"I am recording a verdict of accidental death but this was not a pure accident. It could have been avoided."

OPINION: P6

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