The widow of a heroin victim made an impassioned plea today to young people in Oxford - get off the killer drug.

After an inquest into the death of her husband Martin, 27, Tracey Meredith said he was just one of "five or six people" she knew had died from the drug in the city this year.

She said: "The heroin problem in this city seems to be horrendous for youngsters.

"I urge people to get off this drug. It is very hard to do but people can only try."

At the inquest, Mrs Mere- dith, of Hockmore Tower, Cowley, told drugs user Benjamin Houghton, who found her husband dead on September 8, that she wanted one promise from him. She asked him: "Will you stop now before you put your family through the same hell as I went through?"

Mr Houghton promised that he would. The hearing was told that Mrs Meredith had last seen her husband on September 7 when they had a violent argument.

She went to Cowley Police Station to report him, having made it clear that he was not welcome at their flat.

Her husband later met Mr Houghton, who lived two floors above the couple in their tower block, and he told Mr Meredith he could come to his flat later that evening if he wished.

When Mr Houghton got home, he found Mr Meredith asleep face down on a bed in his unlocked flat and, having suspected him of drinking earlier in the day, assumed he was asleep.

He said: "I thought nothing of it and left him there." The next morning, Mr Houghton knew all was not well and called the police. Mr Meredith was confirmed dead at the scene.

Tests later showed that he had taken a mixture of heroin and alcohol.

Mrs Meredith told the inquest: "I wasn't aware he had been taking drugs, although I suspected.

"I wouldn't say he was a regular drugs user. He never actually told me he did take drugs."

Coroner Nicholas Gardiner said Mr Meredith's death could "easily have been accidental" but, in the circumstances, it was right to record an open verdict.

He backed Mrs Meredith's message to Mr Houghton, telling him: "I wish you well in your promise to Mrs Meredith in trying to keep away from drugs."

Story date: Thursday 18 November

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