GRIEVING FAMILY'S DRUG PLEA

A heartbroken family whose polite and sensible' son died after taking
cocaine at a party have warned youngsters to steer clear of drugs
this Christmas.

Michael Grunshaw, 19, was a former student at Blackburn College, had
a season ticket for Blackburn Rovers and worked with his dad as a
warehouse operator.

But he died after being tempted by a line of cocaine during a party
at his aunt's house in Lawrence Street, Blackburn.

The drug, mixed with the alcohol he had consumed, caused his heart to fail.

After the inquest into his death, Michael's father, also called
Michael, said: "I could have lost my daughter and nephew to the drugs
that night too.

"I want to warn anyone who is going to a party this Christmas and is
offered or is even tempted by drugs, just say no to them. If our
message saves one kid or an adult this Christmas then something good
has come out of Michael's death. Just say no is an old cliche, but
you don't know what you are taking and what it has been mixed with."

Coroner Michael Singleton said mixing alcohol and drugs was like
playing 'Russian Roulette' and added: "I hope that someone reading
the report of this inquest in the Lancashire Telegraph will stop and
say no because they do not want to put their own life at risk or
cause untold distress to those who love them."

Michael, of Johnson Street, had attended the party, in October, with
friends and relatives and had gone to bed in the early hours.

He got up the following morning and said he was going home but
suddenly keeled over.

He never regained consciousness and was dead on arrival at the Royal
Blackburn Hospital.

Michael a former Wensley Fold Primary School and Witton Park High
School Business and Enterprise College, left behind sister Heidi, 18,
brother James, 10, and half sister Jade Sotheran, four.

A tree was donated by Twin Valley homes and was planted on December 1
in memory of Michael in Lawrence Street with a plaque.

Heidi said: "There's always flowers there, it makes me feel better
when I see it's comforting to know it's there."

Mother, Nikola, 40, said: "He was a good lad, it is a real shame,
it's so devastating and still feels so unreal. It was a shock to his
system and is still a shock to mine.

"He was in the wrong place at the wrong time. We want to get on with
Christmas and make it in memory of him this year. If we are
altogether we can be close to him as though we are spending it with him.

"He was so polite, very well mannered and I hope our message can warn
others against drugs and their devestating consquences."

Michael, 51, a warehouse operator at Blackburn distribution company
Pentland at Walker Park Industrial Estate, Guide, said: "Drugs are so
readily available these days and I just want anybody going out this
Christmas to be careful, you don't know what you are taking.

"I have been offered drugs but have never taken them. They are not
for me and I thought they weren't for Michael. But when you have had
a drink you do things you wouldn't normally do, you become more
susceptible to these things.

"People think they are going to live forever and that it won't happen
to them but it takes one bad batch, whether it is your first or 21st
time you can never be sure what you are taking.

"Michael's goal before he died was be become a mechanic. I trusted
him implicitly and I would say he was a more than sensible son, I
would trust him with anything forever."

Friend Dionne Hallcroft and Michael's sister Heidi Grunshaw both told
the inquest they were aware he had taken cocaine.

Heidi said she saw him take it and she was aware he had taken it
before but not very often.

Dr Mohammed Aslam, who carried out a post mortem examination said the
effect of alcohol and cocaine was unpredictable and could greatly
increase the risk of heart failure.

The coroner recorded a verdict of misadventure.