EMMA Johnson was a young woman with a strong mind, lots of friends and a love of life — until her future was snatched away when she took a suspected batch of contaminated drugs.

The 21-year-old was determined to progress at work and was planning a holiday with friends this summer.

But she was found dead at a friend’s home in Farnworth at 1.30pm on Sunday, April 29, after spending the night before with pals in Bolton town centre.

Thirty-year-old Chris Goodwin, who had been out with the same group of friends, died shortly after.

Police linked their deaths as it is believed they had both taken amphetamine, alcohol and a synthetic powder stimulant. Miss Johnson’s father, Lee, has paid tribute to his “bubbly” daughter.

He said: “She was strong minded and very talkative. She was very moral and hated people who were racist. She had an opinion on everything. She would get into political debates and, if there was ever an injustice, she was there. She was intelligent and did well at school.

“She was like her younger brother Ryan’s ‘other mum’. She would take him everywhere in the car. She loved her grandparents and would see them every day. I never had any worries about Emma. She had always been very independent and mature.”

Miss Johnson, who worked as a team coach at Serco in Manchester Road, Bolton, took pride in her appearance but has been described by her family as a tomboy who loved watching Bolton Wanderers and cricket with her family.

And following her tragic death, Miss Johnson’s memory will live on at the Reebok Stadium as a brick engraved with her name will be placed in the Nat Lofthouse Walkway later this year.

Mr Johnson, a father-of-two, from Preston, said: “When Emma died it was a total shock. She wasn’t even going to go out, but got a phone call from her friend at 9pm on the Saturday and went out. She died the following day after a cardiac arrest. We know she had a conversation on Facebook with a friend at 6am on the morning of the day she died, but don’t know what happened after that. There’s a lot of unanswered questions.

“You go through every emotion, it changes every day. There’s no good days. You might get a good half of a day, then you are lost. Driving is okay for the most part, but sometimes I have to pull in because I can’t concentrate. I can’t explain how I feel since Emma died, I just hope it will get easier in time.”

The 47-year-old Electricity North West employee hopes things will improve following his daughter’s inquest, although a date for this has not been set.

Her heartbroken younger brother, Ryan, aged 16, said his sister used to watch him play football each Saturday and would take him wherever he wanted in her “pride and joy”, a black and red Ford Ka, which she had named Dennis.

She would even pay for him at McDonalds and treat him to Nandos food at Middlebrook, one of her favourite restaurants.

The former Harper Green High School and Plodder Lane Primary School pupil, who lived with her mother and Ryan, loved Mumford and Sons and Green Day.

She was an animal lover and let the family pet, Sasha, a Staffordshire Bull Terrier, sleep at the end of her bed.

The dog, searching for Miss Johnson, now regularly sits outside her bedroom door.

Mr Johnson had spoken to his daughter about young people who had died from taking recreational drugs about two weeks before she died.

Following the tragedy he wants to warn others of the dangers of “party drugs”.

Mr Johnson said: “When I told her about kids dying she was shocked. We talked about it. I always tried to be open with her as I knew she went to festivals and that drugs were readily available.

“There are no quality control with drugs, you haven’t got a clue what has been put into them.”

To celebrate Miss Johnson’s life, her family has organised Emma’s Event, a day of activities, performances and fundraising for all ages at The Roundhouse pub in Kenton Close, Halliwell on Saturday, July 27.

The day-long extravaganza will raise funds for Be Strong, a Bolton charity which supports drug users and offenders.

Ann Johnson, Miss Johnson’s mother, along with Mr Johnson and his partner, Debbie Roberts, chose Be Strong as they wanted to support a cause that helped people affected by drugs.

Money raised from the event, which is expected to be the first of many, will go towards a new centre for Be Strong, a foundation in Miss Johnson’s memory and to help establish counselling service for other families affected by bereavements through drug use.

For more information visit emmasevent.wordpress.com