Date set to exhume addict's body

Pictures of Rachel's body were used in an anti-drugs campaign

A churchyard will be sealed off while the body of heroin addict Rachel Whitear is exhumed as part of the re-investigation into her death.

The exhumation is to take place on 23 March when her body will be taken to Hereford County Hospital and a post mortem examination carried out.

Her death in Exmouth, Devon, four years ago was presumed to be an overdose.

But a blood test later revealed there was not enough heroin in the student's blood to kill her.

Detective Chief Superintendent Paul Howlett, from Wiltshire Police, said the churchyard would be treated as a crime scene while the exhumation is carried out.

For us, time has brought nothing but agonising questions and a desire to know the truth Pauline Holcroft

"A private memorial service for Rachel will take place prior to the exhumation followed by a prayer at her graveside," he said.

Mr Howlett was joined by Miss Whitear's mother and stepfather, Pauline and Mick Holcroft, at a news conference at Hereford racecourse on Monday.

Mrs Holcroft said the next ten days were going to be some of the toughest they had ever had to face.

"It's taken a long time to get to this stage for us," she said.

"Fully supportive"

"For us time has left nothing but agonising questions and a desire to know the truth, something we regret we may never know.

"We remain fully supportive of Paul Howlett and his team at Wiltshire Police."

A photo of the 21-year-old's dead body showing her crouching face down with a syringe in her hand was released as a warning of the dangers of drugs.

At the time no post-mortem examination was carried out and the coroner recorded an open verdict into her death.

Mr and Mrs Holcroft, from Ledbury in Herefordshire, have been critical of the Devon and Cornwall Police investigation into their daughter's death.

Wiltshire Police took over the inquiry after it was voluntarily referred to the Police Complaints Authority.