AN INQUEST has heard how an award-winning younger carer from Hampshire died at his home earlier this year.

Winchester Coroner’s Court heard how chef Liam Cummins, died at his home in Dibden on February 21 after heart failure caused by drugs.

The 23-year-old from Rockery Close won an award for helping his mum battle a debilitating illness.

During his teenage years Liam was a member of Southampton Young Carers Project, looking after his mother with brother Bradley, 26, and helping her with her arthritis by doing as much around the house as possible.

His efforts were recognised with a Diana Award – an honour in memory of the late princess which recognises socially responsible young people – and another award from Southampton City Council.

He attended Mansbridge Infants and Bursledon Junior schools before going on to the then Alderman Quilley School in Eastleigh, and .

Initial tests had failed to shed any light on how Liam, who worked as a chef at Hilton Hotel in Chilworth and the Winston Hotel in Southampton died. However, in court it was revealed that he had traces of cocaine and morphine in his body which led to acute heart failure – but but there was no evidence to say when or where he had taken them.

The inquest was told how Mr Cummins was diagnosed with schizophrenia more than two years ago and had since been working with Anchor House clinic in Totton to address his condition to overcome his problems. He told them he used to use recreational drugs – but that he had not used them for a year.

Dr Gemmeke from New Forest East Mental Health team, saw Mr Cummins a month before his death, she said he was “upbeat”, and added she was surprised about the findings.

She said: “He said at the time he had stopped doing that because he recognised it was not helpful.”

Mr Cummins father, David gave evidence at the hearing.

He explained his son had overcome a difficult period two months before his death, and added his son told him he had not taken any drugs for a year or so Mr Cummins' father David gave evidence at the inquest and said before his death his son was in a good state of mind. He described how it was his wife Theresa who found him. Mr Cummins, said: “My wife got up at 10.30am screaming I can’t wake Liam up. he was laying in the same position I saw him before. We called the ambulance and I knew in my heart he had gone.” Pathologist Dr Foria carried out post-mortem and described it as a difficult case.

He said Mr Cummins had heart damage, and there was evidence he had vomited due to a ‘gastric response’, he added the fact Mr Cummins was lying on his front may have obstructed his airway and the presence of drugs may have affected how he reacted to this.

He said the levels of drugs in his body would have not caused death on their own, but concluded they may have caused acute cardiac failure due to drug intake.

Senior Coroner Grahame Short recorded a verdict of accidental death caused by aspiration of gastric content and acute cardiac failure as a result of drug intake.

Mr Short, said: “He was with his parents at the time of his death, and they were supporting him and it is also clear from the evidence that in the past he had used drugs, and it is clear that he suffered from schizophrenia, which made it harder for him to cope under pressure and as part of that he did suffer depression from time to time.

He claimed he was clean of drugs, but the difficulty in this case was the toxicology results showed otherwise, so I have to consider how and why he may have done that.

“It is clear from levels found in toxicology this was not an overdose, it is also a mystery how and when he took these drugs. On the balance of probabilities it was on the morning before he was found dead.”

Mr Short expressed his sympathy to Mr Cummins, family and added: “Finding your son in those circumstances is something that only a parent can understand, I would like to give you my very deep sympathy.”