A TEENAGER who died of a drugs overdose may have been given methadone to ease a persistent headache, an inquest was told.

And there was speculation that a well-meaning friend may have give the drug to the teenager.

Pakistan-born Muhammad Usman, 17, of Yews Hill Road, Lockwood, had only been in Britain a short time and spoke little English.

The Huddersfield inquest heard that for a week before his death Muhammad had been complaining of headaches and was taking paracetamols.

The hearing was told that the headache became severe on the day he died and he was found collapsed in bed.

A post mortem examination later found that Muhammad died of a methadone overdose.

Acting coroner Prof Paul Marks said similar levels of the drug, usually prescribed as a heroin substitute for recovering addicts, had proved fatal in new users.

Recording a verdict of accidental death, Prof Marks said: “There is not a shred of evidence that this man abused drugs in any way at any time.

“Where he has obtained the methadone from we may never know.

“He may well have been given it by a well-meaning friend or associate to relieve his headache, but that is mere speculation.”

The hearing at Huddersfield was told how Muhammad lived with his father, mother and three sisters.

He died on December 2 last year but had gone out the day before, though his family did not know where.

He played on his laptop that night but complained of the headache.

He went to bed fully clothed at 11.30pm but an hour or so later was found collapsed by his mother Ruqayya Bibi. He was said to be “gurgling”.

Mrs Bibi called the family’s landlord Iftikhar Ali, who went to help.

Paramedics were called and Mr Ali administered CPR before crews arrived.

Muhammad was taken to Huddersfield Royal Infirmary where he was pronounced dead at 1.53am.

A bag containing a green powder was found in his pocket. This turned out to be chewing tobacco, though Muhammad was not known to have used it.

Prof Marks said Muhammad, who was a shelf stacker at a local shop, had been in good health and did not take prescription or illegal drugs.

He added: “This was a tragic accident. There is no other logical explanation.”