A former apprentice with Jamie Oliver's cooking school who died from a heroin overdose had been turned down for a residential detox programme just two days previous, an inquest heard today.

The inquest into the death of Woodford Green resident Daniel Parish, who worked as a chef, was ruled as a mixed drug overdose at Walthamstow Coroner's Court today (May 29).

Daniel, who was 28-years-old when he died in December 19 last year, lived in St Barnabas Road with his mother, father and sister.

He was found by his mother, Pamela, slumped on his bedroom floor with a used needle next to him on his bed around 4pm.

The court heard a statement from Daniel’s mother, who said he had told her he was unwell the day of his death.

She said: “The last few days before his death I felt something was not right with him.

"He was a bit moody and snappy.

“I picked him up from Woodford station and thought he looked ill - he looked grey and he said he felt sick.

“When we got home I heard him upstairs vomiting.

"After I went to the shops for a couple of hours I found him dead on his bedroom floor and could not resuscitate him.

“Daniel was talented as a chef but he struggled with behavioural issues and drug use."

The toxicology report and post mortem found evidence that Daniel had been using heroin, cocaine and cannabis for the four months leading up to his death despite being on methadone treatment.

His blood had over three times the amount of morphine that is considered life threatening, with other traces of drugs consistent with street heroin.

He had been struggling with drug addiction since being introduced to heroin by a friend while he was enrolled in Jamie Oliver’s Fifteen Apprentice Programme.

After this drug use got out of control, he enrolled with Redbridge Drug and Alcohol programme and was put on a programme of methadone.

In early December, Daniel applied for funding for a residential detoxification programme but two days before he died he heard he had failed to get funding because he didn’t meet the criteria as he was deemed to be making progress with methadone treatment.

Daniel’s father Andrew said in an email to the coroner that he did not believe this contributed to his death.

He said: “The knockback was not a particularly disappointing situation because he was completing forms for Christian rehab programmes and he told us he was looking forward to getting his life back on track.”

Coroner Ian Wade agreed as he gave his conclusion that the death was unnatural and as a result of a mixed drug overdose.

He said: “Maybe Daniel was upset he did not get funding for residential care but I cannot say whether it led to his death or not.

“Therefore I can attach no significance to what happened two days earlier.

“There is no evidence he committed suicide, I suspect the last thing he intended to do was take his life.

“Clearly the family cared for Daniel and gave all the support they felt they could and my great sadness and sympathy goes out to them.”