A POPULAR young man who suffered from severe headaches died after accidentally taking a 'cocktail' of drugs and alcohol, an inquest heard.

Ryan Parmenter, of Grantham Road, Calcot, was found unresponsive by his grandparents on May 1 after consuming fatal levels of cocaine and medication for the headaches.

His mother Sue Walton described him as a 'hard-working and well-respected' man and said he used fentanyl patches ever since developing headaches as a mechanic.

The 24-year-old had only recently returned from a holiday to Benidorm with a friend and attended Reading Beer Festival days before his death.

Ms Walton said: "The family are deeply shocked by his sudden and unexpected passing. The loss of Ryan has come as a tremendous shock.

"Ryan was a hard-working and well-respected popular member of the community and a very loving son, grandson and brother.

"He made his parents and grandparents and whole family very proud and he was loved by all who knew him and is sorely missed by all.

"Ryan suffered from bad headaches as a mechanic. What happened was very unfortunate."

She told the inquest at Reading Town Hall on November 9 that her son would not have taken cocaine if he had known what could happen.

He was last seen by his grandfather on the evening of April 30, but when his grandmother went into his room the following morning he was unresponsive.

A post-mortem examination found that his liver was 'hugely enlarged' and the toxic nature of the drugs caused his organs to fail.

Peter Bedford, senior coroner for Berkshire, recorded a verdict of 'drug-related death'.

He added: "This is a case where I would have to prove that he intended to take his own life, but there is absolutely no evidence to prove that.

"The effects of the cocktail of drugs means the death will have occurred very suddenly.

"Having dismissed any suggestion that it was deliberate a drug-related death seems to be the most fitting conclusion."