THE FAMILY of a young man who suffered a fatal relapse of his heroin and cocaine addiction have said they are 'devastated' and he had a 'passion for life'.

An inquest into the death of 31-year-old Dean Taylor was held at Oxford Coroner's Court yesterday.

He was found at his home in Priory Road, Bicester, by family friend John Hogg on February 9 after failing to turn up for his job as a carpenter.

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The night before he had been at The Bell pub in Bicester, helping manager Aimee Sheehan, an ex-girlfriend he remained friends with, deal with some loud customers.

She said he had seemed in 'good spirits', adding: "There was nothing that gave me any concerns about him."

His father Nigel Taylor told the court 'more needed to be done' about those selling drugs and a joint statement from both parents said the 'close-knit' family had been 'shocked' he had relapsed, adding: "This has been devastating for us and his whole family."

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The family became aware he had a drug problem in 2010 but said he was 'justifiably very proud' of being clean for almost two years, with a new relationship and job.

Assistant coroner for Oxfordshire Rosamund Rhodes-Kemp, recording it as a drug-related death caused by combination of heroin, cocaine and alcohol, said it was a 'waste of a life'.