THE PICTURE is embedded in the minds of thousands as a vivid warning against drugs abuse.

Bur Rachel Whitear wanted to be a "heavyweight drugs user" and her final chilling image may have been posed.

The latter was the claim of leading forensic scientist, Wilfred Basley, who this afternoon gave testimony at Rachel's second inquest, while the former was a claim of her closest childhood friend.

Speaking to the hearing at County Hall, Exeter, Mr Basley told the court that the former Withington schoolgirl was a heroin addict at the time of her death, but wasn't convinced about her final pose.

"On the level of balance of probability, I believe it was a quick death," said Mr Basley. "But I cannot exclude the possibility of a slow death with subsequent respositioning of the body."

This is the first day of the inquest in Devon, where Rachel's mother Pauline and Mick Holcroft are hoping to hear some answers regarding her death seven years ago.

Coroner for Torbay and South Devon, Ian Arrow, read out a statement from Rachel's closest school friend, Polly North, detailing substance abuse throughout her Aylestone School years: "She started taking cannabis at 14 and also acid," read the coroner, "she was a much bigger drug user than me, and we used a lot of speed.

"She wanted to be a heavyweight drugs user who could take a lot of speed."

The same statement also detailed Rachel's worsening problems with heroin, and her relationship with Luke Fitzgerald, the boyfriend accused of introducing her to the drug.

"Rachel compared her life to a three-way marriage. Luke, her and heroin," added the statement.

Earlier this morning the inquest heard from Mrs Holcroft that Rachel overdosed in their Ledbury home months before her death in Exmouth. The day of her death, May 12, 2000, Her mum and stepfather arrived in South Devon to see her at her new bedsit, but they never met up.

Rachel's body was found a day after her death.

The inquest is expected to last four days.