THE mother of a drug addict who took his own life has revealed the contents of his heartbreaking suicide note in a bid to encourage others to say ‘no’.

The note was written by a 25-year-old father from Ashton who hanged himself following a three-year addiction to cocaine.

The note said: "It’s ruined my life and it’s ended my life. I’ve not seen my kids because I was too busy sniffing my wages and life away."

His two children were just five and six when he was found dead at his home last year.

The note read: "The worst thing I ever did was start sniffing drugs. I can still remember the first time I had it, I felt on top of the world...but slowly it got a grip of me until it ended with me being where I am now."

He continued: "Tell my nephews and nieces I love them and that I’m sorry. And mum, if you’re reading this, you're the best person in the world and I’ll always love you."

His mother, who wished to remain anonymous, said he had gone from a happy-go-lucky, hard-working teenager to the haggard-looking victim of a £300-a-week plus habit. She said the close family had been left devastated by his suicide but insists she does not want it to be in vain. Her plea comes as Greater Manchester Police targets 100 drug dealers as part of National Tackling Drugs Week.

She said: "If one person learns from his story I will feel his death wasn’t for nothing.

"His suicide came as a huge shock to us. He had always been a loving, caring lad. His family meant a great deal to him. He was a good person but I didn’t realise cocaine had that much of a hold on him. I just knew he didn’t like the person he’d become. He was conscientious but now all his wages were going on cocaine. He started letting his kids down because of it.

"The week before he died he told me he wanted detox and I said I’d go with him. As a parent I just wish I’d known more about drugs and their effect — I wish I’d probed more. People think cocaine is something you can take or leave but I’ve found out it’s not.

"If you are offered it just say no. It’s like he said in his letter — it ends up ruining your life."

Greater Manchester’s Chief Supt Peter Mason said: "The use and sale of drugs causes devastating effects, which have far reaching consequences. It can be quite surprising how many crimes committed relate back to drugs, from robberies on the street to in extreme cases, murder. Throughout this week, we are focusing our activity on taking drugs off the streets by targeting the dealers who spread these dangerous substances."

As part of the action week police are asking residents to look out for residential properties transformed into cannabis factories, watching for distinctive clues such as people coming and going at unusual times, large amounts of electrical wiring and lighting, a strong smell and blacked out windows.