A CORONER has warned of the dangers of Class A drugs after a father died as a result of injecting himself with heroin.

Lee Pearn, of Ashley Avenue, Bolton, died in the Royal Bolton Hospital three days after taking the drug intravenously in his leg.

The 43-year-old died because of a blockage in his pulmonary artery, which in turn was a result of deep vein thrombosis caused by using the drug, an inquest heard.

Timothy Brennand, assistant coroner for Greater Manchester West, offered his “unreserved” condolences to the family, but added: “I cannot help but feel that this is yet another sad and sorry example of the lethal consequences of a Class A addiction which brought to an end the life of this individual.

“He was a much-loved son and father whose children are effectively now orphaned because of the inability of Mr Pearn to rid himself of this pernicious and fatal addiction.”

The hearing was told how Mr Pearn, a self-employed plasterer who grew up in Kent, had previously managed to get free from drugs so he could keep custody of his children, but relapsed.

He was taken to hospital after complaining of severe breathlessness and told doctors he had injected drugs three days earlier. He suffered a cardiac arrest in the hospital.

The coroner recorded a conclusion of drug related death.