Exhumation date for addict

The body of heroin addict Rachel Whitear is to be exhumed on March 23 as part of a new investigation into her death, police said today.

The remains of the 21-year-old, from Withington, Herefordshire, are likely to be reburied the following day after a post-mortem at Hereford County Hospital, Wiltshire Police said.

The exhumation is part of a re-investigation into the death of the student, whose body was found in a Devon bedsit in May 2000.

It was originally thought that Rachel had died from a fatal drugs overdose, but the re-investigation was launched last year following concerns expressed by her family about the original inquiry carried out by Devon and Cornwall Police.

Speaking at a news conference at Hereford Racecourse, Rachel's parents admitted that the next 10 days would be "some of the toughest" of their lives.

Pauline Holcroft - who allowed photographs of her daughter's corpse to be used in an anti-drugs educational video - said: "The decision to exhume Rachel's body gives us hope, but we are realistic enough to know that it may not bring us any closer to knowing how Rachel died."

Mrs Holcroft said the family "felt deeply" for the forensic experts who will be involved in the grim task of exhuming the body.

"It can't be easy and our thanks go to everyone involved. The next 10 days are going to be some of the toughest we have ever had to face," she added.

"It has taken a long time to get to this stage and time is a healer to many people grieving lost ones.

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