URGENT talks are to be held with a cleaning firm to find out how a dead heroin addict came to be locked in a block of public toilets all night.

Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council, owner of the public conveniences in Moore Street, Redcar, east Cleveland, are calling for a meeting with French-owned contractor, Sodhexo for an explanation.

Addict Lee Nicholas, 24, from nearby Skelton, injected himself with a lethal dose of heroin in a cubicle in seafront toilets.

His body was found by a cleaner the following day, last October.

The council is also urging the Lord Chancellor's Office to investigate why it took Teesside Coroner's Court ten months to hold an inquest into the death.

Council leader Councillor David Walsh said: "I am aware staff have been subjected to violence and intimidation from drug-users and undesirables using the toilets. I suspect this may be one reason this tragedy occurred.

"But obviously, to prevent a repeat we have to sit down with the contractor to see how they manage this job and see how we can make sure things of this kind don't happen again. That may require supporting staff, help from the police and community wardens."

Coun Walsh said the council had found the wait for the full inquest frustrating.

"I think there needs to be an examination by the Lord Chancellor about why it has taken Teesside Coroner's Court so long to hold the inquest," he said.

"In a case like this, authorities such as ours are left in a situation of having to wait and see what the coroner has to say because of the legal implications that arise."

Recording a verdict of misadventure, deputy Teesside Coroner Gordon Hetherington told an inquest last week: "It would have been better for all the cubicles to have been checked, whatever the risks of confrontation are to contractors.

"We know in this case it would not have made a difference in saving Lee's life; but it would have meant that he would have been found sooner.''