A “GREAT dad” who took speed as a release from the pressures of opening a new Oxford supermarket collapsed and died at work.

Tesco team leader Derren Harding, pictured, was watching a training DVD when he suffered the reaction to amphetamines, an inquest heard yesterday.

His partner last night warned of the dangers of recreational drugs and said the ill-effects could strike at any time.

The father-of-six was working at Tesco Metro in Witney at the time of his death, but had also been stationed at the chain’s new branch in Magdalen Street, Oxford.

Oxfordshire Coroner’s Court heard the 40-year-old, of Mallard Drive, Witney, was pronounced dead at 1.41pm on Saturday, September 11, after being taken to the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford.

Pathologist Dr Ian Roberts said Mr Harding had 0.13mg of amphetamines per litre of blood, indicating his taking of speed was “within hours” of his death.

He said Mr Harding’s heart showed signs of “chronic stimulant abuse” and concluded: “It is likely Mr Harding did suffer a cardiac arrest as a combined result of chronic and recent stimulant use.”

Giving evidence, his partner Kirsty Elder said he used speed on “rare occasions” and said he got the drugs in Newquay, where the couple had been holidaying until two days before Mr Harding’s death.

She said she had known him for two and a half years and he had only taken cocaine “four or five times” in that period. Asked about his speed intake, she replied: “That was the first time, he was in Newquay, we came back on the Thursday and he died on the Saturday.

“I knew he had done it previously but never when I was with him.”

Speaking outside court Miss Elder, who has a two-year-old daughter, Gracie Mai, with Mr Harding, said: “He was just a great dad who would do anything for his kids.”

Coroner Nicholas Gardiner said Mr Harding died as a result of taking amphetamines.