THE brother of a man who died from an accidental drug overdose has urged anyone struggling with addiction to learn from the tragedy and quit.

Father-of-four Lawrence Creaney, 43, from Blackburn, died at a supported accommodation unit last November.

An inquest on Thursday ruled that his death was accidental and came about due to mixed drug toxicity

Mr Creaney, known to family and friends as Loz, had struggled with heroin, crack cocaine, alcohol and prescription drug abuse for some time but had been trying hard to beat his addictions.

Older brother Frank Brown, who has overcome similar problems in the past, said: "He was well liked, no one ever had a bad word to say about him, the only problem was trying to get him clean."

Hoping that other people might learn from his brother's death, he added: "I've told them, if you don't take anything from what's happened to my brother then you're not interested in life.

"But you have to do it for yourself, you have to be strong enough.

"I got myself off the drug use and now I just look forward, forward, forward."

Mr Brown explained that his brother had a happy upbringing and had been a talented footballer as a youngster, but struggled since the death of their mother and since the end of a relationship.

He said: "We had a brilliant childhood growing up, he had a good life, he loved football and could have been a footballer but he took the wrong path."

The inquest, held at Accrington Town Hall, heard that just before his death Mr Creaney had been staying at Union House, St Peter Street Blackburn, a homelessness link charity run by the Ashley Foundation.

Mr Creaney was found collapsed on November 24 2020 after resident Lee Sims told staff members that they had both been taking pregabalin.

Paramedics were called and attempted resuscitation, but this was unsuccessful.

Speaking to the inquest, PC Jess Rowley of Lancashire Police confirmed that officers did not find any evidence of suspicious injuries or third party involvement.

Union House director Paul Bamber told the proceedings that Mr Creaney was a popular presence at the establishment.

He said: "He was probably one of the most polite people I've ever met, he never gave us any hassle."

A subsequent post-mortem examination and toxicology report revealed that Mr Creaney had methadone, diazepam and pregabalin in his system.

Summing up, senior coroner Dr James Aveley concluded that Lawrence Creaney had died from respiratory depression caused by mixed drug toxicity.

Dr Aveley said: "He essentially went to sleep and I’m afraid he didn’t wake up.

"I hope it is some consolation that he would not have suffered in his last moments."