A father who lost his two sons to drug overdoses continues to fight to decriminalise drugs as he handed a petition to 10 Downing Street last week.

It is three years ago this week since Ray Lakeman’s sons Jacques, 20, and Torin 19, were found dead in a flat in Bolton having overdosed on ecstasy.

Ray has battled since to get drugs legalised and therefore regulated, saying lives are lost in the current status quo.

He handed over the petition with other parents who suffered the same tragic loss who are involved in the charity Anyone’s Child: Families for Safer Drug Control campaigning to change drugs laws.

’It was a long, interesting day,’ he said. ’We’re calling for drug reform, decriminalisation. I was on Kent radio and Channel 5. After Downing Street we then went to the House of Commons and met two back benchers, Norman Lamb and Eddie Cowin, who are supporting us. There are others (MPs) who are supportive.’

He said it was ’slow progress’ but added: ’A lot of things are going on behind the scenes, MPs are more aware of what’s going on.’

He believes his campaigning over the last three years, including talks in schools, has no doubt saved others: ’When I talk at school the impact is not the same as the police, it’s different when you’re talking to someone who has personal experience.’