I read the story about the girl who died from HIV after taking drugs (The Argus, April 23).

Six years ago I lost my son to drugs. It was a bad time for all the family - my son had just had his 19th birthday.

I feel for all the families who have to go through this. I didn't know my son was on hard drugs - it was heroin that killed him.

Worst of all he was found in the Abbey Hotel toilets in Brighton - since then I have found out that's where he went to get his fix. Someone who was living there sold my son the drug that put an end to his young life.

My heart goes out to all the parents who have to go though what I have been though. It's only recently I have been able to talk about what happened to him.

It's such a cruel world out there and I would do anything to help young people who have drug problems. I go to sleep thinking of my son and wake up thinking of him. He was our angel with a dirty face and a very loving son.

We miss him terribly and he did not deserve to die.

  • Pauline Banks, Shaftesbury Avenue, Worthing