A 34-YEAR-OLD Oswaldtwistle man who appeared to be winning his battle against heroin addiction died after taking a fatal dose of the drug.

An inquest heard that the seven months Kevin Emlyn Ainsworth had managed to keep off heroin would have reduced his tolerance, and could have contributed to his death.

The inquest heard that in the days before his death, Mr Ainsworth had argued with his mother, Caroline Dixon, and his partner Maureen Riding.

She had ordered him out of their home in Springfield Terrace, Oswaldtwistle, and he had gone to stay with friends in Longton Street, Blackburn. Lisa Hayden said she knew Mr Ainsworth through her boyfriend, Patrick, who also had a drug problem in the past.

"Kevin was making a real effort to sort himself out and we hadn't seen him for a while," said Miss Hayden.

The day before his body was found on the floor of her living room, Miss Hayden said Mr Ainsworth had been drinking heavily because he was depressed about rowing with Maureen and his mum.

"At some stage that night he came upstairs and said he was 'going to see his man'," said Miss Hayden.

The following morning, July 14, he was found dead in the living room and a used needle was found near him.

Caroline Dixon said she was aware of her son's drugs past and that he had contracted hepatitis C from using a 'dirty' needle. She told of his efforts to beat heroin and his alcohol problems, and of how well he had done recently.

Recording a verdict of misadventure, Coroner Michael Singleton said he was satisfied that during the months he had abstained from heroin, Mr Ainsworth's tolerance had reduced and he had not allowed for that when self- injecting on the night of his death.