A MOTHER only discovered her son had died when she rang the privately-run hospital where he was being cared for to speak to him, an inquest was told.

The revelation came at the opening of an inquest on schizophrenic Ryan Peachey, 21, who was found hanging on May 24 days after moving to the Fountains, Pleasington Close, Blackburn, from a secure unit in Newcastle.

And a pathologist expressed surprise that there was no evidence of medication in the victim's blood.

The Fountains is a male-only rehabilitation mental health hospital catering for 32 people aged between 18 and 65.

It was registered with the Healthcare Commission in January 2005.

Yesterday, Ryan's mum Isobella travelled from her home in Wales to express her anger that nobody at The Fountains had contacted her after her son was found dead.

Mrs Ryan told the hearing in Blackburn: "I telephoned the Fountains at 10am on the Wednesday to speak to Ryan and was told could I call back shortly. I had no alarm bells at this stage.

"When I called back I expected to hear Ryan's voice and instead I was asked by a member of staff whether I was on my own and I told him I was.

"To be then told that my own son had taken his life nine hours previously - I have to ask why?

"Why weren't my details to hand, why couldn't a policeman from my next village have come and told me?"

An immediate apology came from Oliver Donald, representing London-based operators of the home, Cambian Healthcare Ltd.

Earlier, the inquest before a seven-strong jury, had heard that Ryan, from Blackpool, was adopted by Mrs Peachey and her estranged husband when he was six and since high school he had been involved with drugs and in trouble with the law.

Diagnosed with schizophrenia, Ryan was transferred to The Fountains after making good progress, having spent three years at more strictly-controlled secure units at St Nicholas Hospital, Newcastle.

Mrs Peachey added: "I do ask why his medication was not changed and perhaps Ryan needed either an increase or it reviewed during his settling down period as whenever he had moved previously there had always been a dip in his behaviour."

Pathologist Dr Richard Prescott said: "There was no evidence of alcohol or drugs in his blood, including prescription drugs. I would have expected to have found traces of some of the medication he was on."

Representatives from the Healthcare Commission are reviewing the case.

The inquest continues.