Mum pays tribute to ‘lovely’ Hartlepool son who died after battling addiction for years

Dad-of-two Daniel Walker died last April aged just 32 after battling a drugs addiction since he was a teenager.

His mum, Beverley Kingsley, 58, who is organising a charity night in his memory, has described how the former Manor College pupil had managed to get off cocaine and appeared to have turned a corner shortly before he died.

A full inquest into his death has still to take place.

Beverley said: "He was a lovely dad. But when the drugs got hold of him, he was a different person.”

Daniel started smoking cigarettes when he was 10-years-old.

He was using marijuana as a teenager and later started taking cocaine.

"I used to say to him ‘If I find it, it’s going to go down the toilet’," said Beverley.

"Over the years, I had him to the doctors, I looked for support systems in the community. To be fair, at the time there just didn’t seem to be a lot out there.”

Beverley has said his drug taking resulted in Daniel losing his driving licence, which also meant he was no longer able to work as a plasterer.

The Greatham grandmother-of-two continued: "I know some people use marijuana for recreational activities and some people manage it and use it as an outlet to relax.

"But for some people it goes too far, and it goes on to cocaine, and that’s what happened with Daniel.

"It took over his life. He wasn’t controlling it, it was controlling him and that was the issue.”

The Owton Manor man had managed to get off cocaine before suffering a relapse.

Beverley, who has two other children, added: "We thought he’d turned a corner.”

The retired care home worker is now organising an event in memory of Daniel which will also raise funds for mental health charities while highlighting their work.

She said: "People who are suffering with drug and alcohol abuse are at risk of suicide.

"When my son went into a funeral home, the director told me they’d already had eight young men that week who had taken their own lives.

"I just thought ‘Oh my God’. I knew it was terrible and that we did have a bit of an epidemic in young men taking their lives, but it just seemed so close to home.”

The memorial will take place at the Corporation Club, in Whitby Street, on Friday, May 5, between 7pm-11pm and there are hopes it could become an annual event.

Tickets cost £5 and further details are available on the Daniel Walker's Memorial Fund Raising Event page on Facebook.

Beverley added: "It’s going to be a celebration of his life.

“He was a lovely young lad. Lovely Danny.

"I’m not just saying that because I’m his mum, he would genuinely help you if he could. He was a genuine lad and it’s just painful that he got wrapped up in the drug world.”