A WOMAN arrested among 12 other suspected drug dealers after the death of three men within 45 minutes of each other has admitted supplying heroin.

But police said they had been unable to connect the drugs possessed by Kathleen Norwood with the substances which killed Robin Ferguson, 53, Emlyn Hodgkinson, 36 and Zaheer Chaudhry, 32.

Detectives also admit they have not traced the high-purity heroin, which is thought to have killed the three men, to any dealer.

They stressed the investigation remains open, but said officers on the cases were in need of fresh information to make a breakthrough.

Meanwhile, the grieving parents of Mr Hodgkinson have told of their hope that someone can he held accountable for the deaths.

Norwood was one of a dozen people arrested for drugs supply offences after the bodies of the three men were discovered at houses in Burnley, Colne and Nelson within 45 minutes of each other.

Police swooped on the suspected heroin dealers in a bid to trace the source of the drugs.

Norwood, 41, of Casterton Avenue, Burnley, was later charged with possessing heroin with intent to supply, possession of cannabis and possession of a Class C drug.

She admitted the charges when she appeared before Burnley Crown Court on Friday, and will be sentenced in July.

Only one other person from the 12 has been charged, and their case is still passing through he courts.

Detective Inspector Stuart Dixon, of Burnley Police, said: “Following the death of Robin Ferguson we received information that Kathleen Norwood was supplying drugs, in particular heroin, in the area where he was found dead.

“As a result of that and the fact that there had been two other deaths, we acted on the information quite quickly and executed a warrant at Norwood’s address.

“The heroin we recovered from her address had a slightly higher level of purity than we were seeing in the town around that time, but it is difficult to say whether it was the cause of Mr Ferguson’s death.

“Removing any drugs supplier from the streets is a good result, regardless of the level they sit at in the supply chain.

“We would still appeal to anyone who has information in relation to this case or any drugs supply information in general to contact us.”

Christine Gaught, the mother of Mr Hodgkinson said: “I am still waiting for answers.

“I just wish I knew who was going to be held accountable.”

Mrs Gaught’s husband Gordon added: “We know that Emlyn was not completely innocent in all this but in one way he was a victim.”