A speedway rider bought drugs and became addicted after winning compensation for an accident.

Philip Ambrose, 25, became hooked on heroin and crack-cocaine and died from an overdose, an inquest heard.

The hearing was told that Mr Ambrose, of Sandyhurst Lane, Ashford, had been paid after breaking a leg.

His mother Shirley told the inquest: "He’d had a speedway accident, broke his leg and got compensation and insurance.

“He spent quite a lot of money on crack cocaine.”

Mr Ambrose was confirmed dead by paramedics at his home on the morning of October 25, 2007.

A post mortem examination showed that he had died from a cocaine and opiate overdose.

Mrs Ambrose said that he had first admitted to her that he was taking crack cocaine in 2004 and two year later revealed he was also on heroin.

He detoxed in March 2007, but later relapsed, although was clean again in the last six to seven weeks of his life.

Mrs Ambrose said that on October 24, 2007 he had a court appearance in London, connected with his drug taking.

The case, which worried him, was not completed that day and his father, Brian, of Lenham, drove him home.

The pair argued and Mr Ambrose left his father at a stop in the journey to go on to Maidstone.

Mr Ambrose had drugs contacts there and it was feared he was going to buy.

Det Sgt Ed Ruffle told the inquest that friends and associates who met him that evening, such as at the Dog and Bear pub at Lenham, said he appeared to be under the influence.

Mr Ambrose met his father later that evening and he drove him back to Ashford. He went to bed at 11.30pm and died overnight.

DS Ruffle said: “We don’t know where he bought drugs from. We suspect in Maidstone but we don’t know where.”

Coroner Rachel Redman recorded a verdict of misuse of drugs.

She said: “The impression is that he was trying to stop his addiction but it is extremely difficult.”

Mr Ambrose was a former student at Swadelands School in Lenham and helped the Edinburgh Monarchs to victory in the speedway KO Cup Final in Essex in 1999, before his accident.

The injury took two years to mend and put him out of racing.

He worked in his father’s roof tiling business and divided time between him in Platts Heath, near Lenham, and staying with his mother.

He had a daughter, Honey, who was two at the time of his death.