THE FAMILY of a man found hanged in a North-East prison spoke of their grief last night at losing a much-loved son and brother.

Relatives of William Hunter, known as Billy, said they were devastated when they found out the 25-year-old had died in Durham Prison's healthcare centre on May 24.

His parents Billy and Ann and sisters Lynn, 39, and Lisa, 34, said they felt let down by the authorities.

Mr Hunter, of The Mill, Easington, was serving a two-and-a-half-year sentence after being convicted at Durham Crown Court in October for supplying or being involved in supplying heroin in east Durham.

The family told The Northern Echo that their son was a drug addict, not a big time dealer, who began using drugs and delivering it to friends in the village in return for bags of heroin to feed his habit.

His father said last night they felt the police, the courts and the prison service had let the former Easington Comprehensive pupil down.

Mr Hunter, 62, said: "He was a drug addict and he paid for it with his life.

"In prison, they had a chance to help him but we handed our son over to them and we have not got him back."

Their son started taking heroin four years ago and had gone through detox and methadone programmes but was unable to stay clean.

Mr Hunter said: "We are not saying Billy was an angel. He did wrong in what he did, but how many more people is it going to take before anyone does something about it?"

The family decided to speak out after local press reports portrayed their son as a drugs baron instead of an addict, and to help others.

Following his death, officials launched an investigation into the circumstances. The results of an inquiry by the Prison Ombudsman and a full inquest will be heard later this year.

* Mr Hunter's funeral will be held today in St Mary's Church, Easington Village, at 2pm.