A TEARFUL mum paid tribute to her “beautiful girl” who lost her life following a long battle with class A drug addiction.

Katie Stone, 31, was found unconscious in her own bedroom at her home in Benfleet, an inquest at Essex Coroners Court heard yesterday.

Her tearful mum spoke movingly about her daughter’s issues with drugs, during the hearing and paid tribute.

She said: “She struggled for a long time and said she could not help taking the drugs.

“She couldn’t get herself out of things.

“Over the years my worse fear was that she would overdose somewhere else, she used to disappear to.

“I thought that’s what would happen.

“I was flabbergasted I didn’t expect her to do it that night

“For 15 years, we all pondered over it, it was hard.

“We all loved her, she was a beautiful girl.

“She was an excellent show jumper, she was lovely.

“She really wanted help, we offered it to her, but she would refuse it.”

Debbie Frost, coroner’s officer, told the court Ms Stone was found dead in her bedroom on May 13.

She said: “A postmortem examination at Southend Hospital gave a cause of death of asphyxiation due to hanging.

“Toxicology reports found she had cocaine and MDMA in her system.”

Police Sgt Chris Baker attended the scene and gave evidence at the inquest.

He said medics had to enter the home by a window and the door was blocked by Ms Stone’s body after she had collapsed.

He said: “Based on all the evidence there was nothing to suggest any foul play.

“There was no suspicious circumstances and I still stand by that view.”

Caroline Beasley-Murray, senior coroner, said the parents told her they believed their daughter meant to kill herself.

In a letter read out to the court by the coroner, her parents said: “She always lived with us, we tried everything we could to help her.”

Ms Beasley-Murray recorded that Ms Stone had intended to kill herself at the inquest held in Chelmsford.

She said: “I have come to the sad conclusion that she intended to take her own life.”

Anyone who needs help and support can call the Samaritans free on l 116 123.