A MOTHER whose daughter died in a tragic accident has appealed to teenagers to think twice before binge drinking and has launched a sponsored walk for the charity that supported her family in their hour of need.

Michelle Ildam, 39, of Worcester Place, Bishop Auckland lost her 14 year-old daughter, Lucy Smith last November. An inquest at Crook Coroner’s Court in February found that the 14-year-old did not mean to kill herself after the former King James 1st Academy student was discovered at their family home on the evening of November 29 last year.

Mrs Ildam’s nine year-old daughter, Lydia Ildam, and niece, Emily Potter, will complete the two hour walk from Bishop Auckland to Newton Aycliffe in aid of If You Care Share, on the anniversary of Lucy’s death. The charity provides counselling support for people with mental health issues as well as families of suicide victims and other related cases.

The Chester-le-Street-based charity provided counselling for Mrs Ildam’s family following the tragedy.

Mrs Ildam said alcohol played a major part in the chain of events that led to Lucy’s death and asked teenagers to consider the consequences of binge drinking.

She said: “When you are under the influence of alcohol, you think you are invincible but you’re not.

“Think about what you are doing. Don’t try to grow up before your time because if you are feeling down, alcohol is only going to fuel that.

“On the night Lucy died, she thought nothing could harm her. All teenagers do, even without alcohol. But with alcohol, it can – and did - lead to devastating consequences.”

The retirement housing manager added that her daughter was strongly against suicide.

Mrs Ildam added: “Lucy had so much to look forward to. She was beautiful and popular. She was doing well at school and had plans to become a teacher.”

Mrs Ildam said her daughter’s death had devastated her family and that Miss Smith’s sisters, Yasemine, aged three, Lydia, nine, and Ella, 17, along with all of her friends, had been left with a huge hole in their lives.

“All we want to do is to keep her memory alive to remind other children that they are not invincible. We will always cherish our memories of her.”

To contribute to Lydia and Emily’s sponsored walk in aid of If U Care Share, visit mydonate.bt.com/fundraisers/lucyrebeccasmith1 and for more information on the charity, visit ifucareshare.co.uk