A YOUNG woman who managed to stay off heroin for almost four months was killed by the drug after a relapse, an inquest heard.

Leanne Johnson, aged 26, was found unconscious at home in Church Street, Westhoughton, by her mother Pamela, aged 67.

She had suffered a cardiac arrest and died at Royal Bolton Hospital on September 9.

A toxicology report found she had heroin levels of 953mg per litre in her system — and the level usually associated with death is between 100 and 500.

At a hearing at Bolton Coroners Court yesterday, coroner Alan Walsh paid tribute to Miss Johnson, who had completed a 12-week rehabilitation programme after contacting ITV's Jeremy Kyle Show for help.

Mr Walsh also gave credit to her supportive family, the television programme and the Perry Clayman Project, in Luton, where she had managed to free herself from drugs.

Recording misuse of heroin as the cause of death, he said he wanted to highlight the dangers of drugs and the "jeopardy users place themselves in which can lead to the loss of life".

A statement read out from Dr Akila Jayasekera, consultant psychiatrist at Royal Bolton Hospital, said Miss Johnson was raped at the age of 13 by a 21-year-old family friend and began binge drinking at 14.

She started using heroin and met her boyfriend and, by the age of 18, was taking the drug, as well as crack cocaine, daily.

She miscarried twins and, between the ages of 18 and 23, was working on the streets of Bolton as a prostitute — instigated by her boyfriend, who died in 2013.

Four months later, she threatened suicide and was found on a bridge after sending her mother a text message to say goodbye.

She was in contact with several services in Bolton, including Bolton Integrated Drug and Alcohol Services (BIDAS).

In May 2014, she took the drastic step of contacting The Jeremy Kyle Show for help and, after attending studios in Salford Quays with her mother and sisters, Lisa Stevenson and Melanie Gatis, went straight to rehab.

She struck up a relationship with a man on the project, named only as Ian, but Miss Johnson called it off before returning home to Westhoughton on September 1.

After the 12-week programme, she had spent a month living in a house in Luton provided by the project, but was ejected after admitting an instance of consuming alcohol and drugs, not thought to be heroin.

She spent her final week at home with her family and seemed in good spirits, despite being bombarded with messages from Ian the day before she collapsed, which her family describe as abusive.

Ms Johnson said: "She was happy, looking forward to her future, going to college and Blackpool the next day."

After her death, drugs paraphernalia including a syringe and brown powder were found in her bedroom, which Mr Walsh said had a "dramatic and catastrophic effect on her".

He added: "You are a respectable family. You have done as much as you can do."

Miss Johnson's story was told on an episode of The Jeremy Kyle Show, screened last Friday, and the family wants it to be shown in schools.

Speaking after the inquest, mother-of-two Mrs Gatis, aged 43, who lives in Lostock, said: "She had a blip.

"We will never know why.

"It was a moment of madness and she has paid with her life."

The cause of death was recorded as misuse of heroin.