Blackpool man who died from drugs ‘was trying to turn life around’

Ryan Peck, 31, had been staying with an elderly friend to help with his failing eyesight when he died.

His inquest at Blackpool Town Hall on Thursday heard that he was last seen by his friend going into the room he kept at his General Street home at 10pm on February 22.

The following afternoon, his friend became worried and contacted the emergency services.

Firefighters had to be called to gain access to his room, which was locked from the inside. Mr Peck was found slumped on the floor with evidence of drug use nearby.

The court heard that Mr Peck, a dad of one who lived on Clifton Street, had a history of drug addiction, but that he had attended rehab and had taken up work at Horizon, an alcohol, drugs and sexual health support service.

Pathologist Dr Mark Sissons said a combination of prescription and class A drugs, including heroin, were found in his system.

He said: “Sometimes when people stop taking heroin for a month or two and they are quite hardened users, if they go back and take the amount they used to do, it can have quite serious effects.”

Handing down a conclusion of a drugs-related death, coroner Andrew Cousins said to Mr Peck’s mother Deborah: “It is clear that Ryan had been very admirably trying to turn his life around and it is clear that your forthcoming marriage seemed to bring him great happiness.

“I hope you can remember Ryan for the happy times you had.”