Heroin deaths: Police appeal for public help to trace drugs

The 36-year-old man was found dead at an address in Church Meadows, Colne, in the early hours of last Thursday morning.

A 34-year-old man was also discovered collapsed at an address in Rawsthorne Street in Blackburn on January 24th and later died in hospital.

And a 56-year-old man died at an address in Nelson Street in Accrington between last Thursday night and Friday morning.

A further two men during the same period have been admitted to hospital suffering similar symptoms, one from Blackburn and one from Accrington.

The deaths are being treated as unexplained at this stage and inquiries are continuing, but it appears all three men had taken heroin shortly before their deaths.

Det. Insp. Tim McDermott said: “It remains unclear if there is any direct links between the sad deaths of these three men.

“However, given they have taken place in a comparatively short period of time and all within East Lancashire I think it’s right that we remind drug users within our communities the need to be particularly cautious.

“The deaths at this stage are being treated as unexplained, but we believe each of the men involved took heroin prior to their death.

“Our priorities now are to work with our partner agencies to keep people safe, support the family and friends of the men who have died and establish the circumstances of each individual incident.

“We would like to reassure the local community that we are carrying out a detailed and robust investigation following these deaths and inquiries will be continuing.

“If anyone has any information, or is able to help us with inquiries to establish where these drugs have come from, please call us on 101 immediately. All information we receive will be treated in the strictest confidence.

“Alternatively, information can be given to Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.”