A YOUNG father-of-two was found dead in Trowbridge at the weekend after a suspected heroin overdose.

Marc Garrison, 23, of Westfield Close, Studley Green, was found dead in his flat by friends just before 3pm on Sunday afternoon.

This week his distraught parents, Lesley-Anne and Paul Garrison, of Corsham Road, Whitley, were too upset to speak but issued a family statement.

"He was a cheerful, happy and loving son. A warm and caring father of two young children with his long-term partner.

"He was loved by his brothers and sister and his grandparents, all of whom are devastated by his loss and will miss him desperately.

"We await the outcome of the inquest to understand what brought this young life to a tragic end."

Flowers have been left outside the flats where Mr Garrison lived.

In one poignant tribute a card from his young children, Jack, five, and four-year-old Harry, to the best daddy in the whole world' said: "I love you so much and always will. I will never forget you or what we did together.

"You are the best daddy ever and I will miss you lots. Harry and I will always love and think about you."

Mr Garrison, a roofer, grew up in Whitley, near Melksham, and was a pupil at Shaw Primary School and The George Ward School, Melksham.

He moved to Trowbridge several years ago and friends say he had been trying to get his life together for the sake of his children.

A friend, who asked not to be named, said: "He was a good bloke and a good mate and he was a fantastic dad. His children were the most important thing to him.

"He was working and he was trying to sort his life out for them."

Det Sgt Paul Kessell of Trowbridge CID said: "We are not treating his death as suspicious. We are looking at it as a drugs overdose and believe it is linked to heroin."

An inquest into the death is due to be opened in Salisbury today.