A WOMAN is calling for legal highs to be banned as she believes they contributed to her son's death.

Clint Broomfield, of Radstock Road in Woolston, died on January 25 after taking a cocktail of drugs, including heroin, anti-depressants, cocaine and subscription medicines.

The 37-year-old father-of-two also had an undiagnosed heart condition.

At his inquest his mother Vivien Ryan, of Freshwater Beach Holiday Park in Dorset, said she thinks he bought legal highs from a clothing shop in the Bargate in Southampton in the days leading up to his death.

She said she thought he was taking them with a friend, on top of his depression and anxiety medication and illegal drugs.

After the inquest she told the Daily Echo: “His stepfather introduced him to drugs when he was 14 years old.

“I have always had problems with Clint since he was born, he was fretful baby.

“He was in and out of prison. I got all the help I could. I thought he had ADHD but back in the 70s it wasn't recognised.

“I don't feel that he was a lost cause, I just think he was a lost soul.”

Mrs Ryan said that before the inquest she went into the Southampton shop and could see legal highs behind the counter.

“They should be banned,” she warned.

“I think it's wrong that they sell legal highs. It's wrong that people die and they are making money.

“My message is stay away.”

The inquest heard that Mr Broomfield was in Copenhagen Towers in Weston with a friend when he collapsed.

He died in the emergency department at Southampton General Hospital.

Consultant histopathologist Eleanor Jaynes said his heart condition contributed but did not cause his death and the level of heroin in his blood was fatal.

Senior coroner for central Hampshire Grahame Short said legal highs were not looked for during the autopsy because there was no police evidence to suggest Mr Broomfield had taken them.

He ruled a verdict of drugs related death and added: “It may be that there were other substances which he had taken which were not tested for or found.”