A DISABLED artist today broke down in tears as she told how her son died after struggling to cope with the trauma of being bullied.

Tragic Parys was discovered dead in a hotel room in August last year from a fatal heroin overdose.

He had been discharged from mental health services just two weeks before his death, an inquest heard today.

The 19-year-old's mum Alison Lapper today wept as she told how her son had become "withdrawn" and "anxious" as a teen after being bullied.

And she questioned why her "beautiful, funny and sensitive" was refused treatment when he needed help.

She told the hearing: "I will never forget the day that police knocked at my door on August 13th, 2019 to tell me that my beautiful, funny and sensitive boy that I loved had been found dead and alone and had been there possibly for several days."

She added: "Parys was let down badly by social services and at the very least big changes have to be made so this can't happen to anyone else's child.

"I cannot tell you the heartbreak I feel. Parys was loved so very much by so many people and he will be greatly missed."

'MIRACLE BABY'

Parys had been plagued by mental health problems growing up and suffered a variety of conditions – including depression, PTSD and ADHD.

But the inquest was told Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust had refused to offer further treatment unless he kicked his drug habit.

Disabled Alison was eight months pregnant with Parys when she posed for a Trafalgar Square statue – hailed as the most powerful work by a Brit artist in decades.

The mum, who is is 3ft 11in and was born with phocomelia – a condition producing defects similar to those caused by the drug Thalidomide – said previously her disability made Parys a target for bullying.

She today said: "He was my miracle millennium baby.

"He was born on January 6, 2000. He was like a whirlwind and never sat still, never stopped talking and had such a vivid imagination.

"Parys had the biggest blue eyes that would melt the hearts of everyone he met. He was funny, sensitive and very loving.

"In his early teens, he spent hours showering, looking in the mirror and doing his hair. He drenched himself in aftershave and only wore the best clothes and shoes.

"Then things slowly started to change. It became apparent that previous childhood traumas and bullying had begun to take their toll on his mental health."

'ERRATIC BEHAVIOUR'

The mum explained how Parys stopped washing and stayed in bed all day as he became "paranoid" and "depressed".

She said he began smoking cannabis and drinking to "help him feel better" and he was eventually referred to Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services.

But he continued to spiral out of control and was sectioned at 17.

He then began self-harming and having suicidal thoughts as no one was listening to him, the inquest heard.

Parys returned home a year later but his behaviour became "more erratic" and he would get medication delivered to the house using Alison's credit card.

Alison added: "Parys stayed in a couple of temporary hotel rooms until further accommodation could be found.

"I found out that he would be staying with a man called Terry a couple of nights a week.

"I later discovered he had found Terry on Craigslist, a website that is used to get free room and lodgings in exchange for drugs and sexual favours.

"He looked at Terry as a way to avoid following the rules.

"I expressed my concerns but because Parys was 18 and appeared to be happy in his circumstances I could do nothing."

YOU’RE NOT ALONE

EVERY 90 minutes in the UK a life is lost to suicide.

It doesn't discriminate, touching the lives of people in every corner of society – from the homeless and unemployed to builders and doctors, reality stars and footballers.

It's the biggest killer of people under the age of 35, more deadly than cancer and car crashes.

And men are three times more likely to take their own life than women.

Yet it's rarely spoken of, a taboo that threatens to continue its deadly rampage unless we all stop and take notice, now.

That is why The Sun launched the You're Not Alone campaign.

The aim is that by sharing practical advice, raising awareness and breaking down the barriers people face when talking about their mental health, we can all do our bit to help save lives.

Let's all vow to ask for help when we need it, and listen out for others… You're Not Alone.

If you, or anyone you know, needs help dealing with mental health problems, the following organisations provide support:

• CALM, www.thecalmzone.net, 0800 585 858
• Heads Together, www.headstogether.org.uk
• Mind, www.mind.org.uk, 0300 123 3393
• Papyrus, www.papyrus-uk.org, 0800 068 41 41
• Samaritans, www.samaritans.org, 116 123

The inquest heard how after falling out with Terry, the teen was given a temporary room at the Wolsey Hotel in Worthing.

Alison said her son was "severely underweight" at this point and would tell her he "couldn't cope with his life".

But she told the hearing "it didn't sound like he was going to do anything" when asked whether Parys suffered from suicidal ideation before his death.

The inquest was told Parys' cause of death was respiratory depression caused by heroin toxicity.

TRAGIC DEATH

Alison was left heartbroken after Parys was discovered dead over the summer – nearly 20 years on from when she posed for the statue.

The artist shared heartwarming photographs of herself with her son – including photos of him as a baby, child and teenager days after his death.

The £150,000 sculpture of pregnant Alison was on display in Trafalgar Square from 2005 to 2007.

It was hailed as the most powerful work by a British artist in decades, and a replica featured in the opening ceremony of the 2012 Olympics.

Mum Alison once described her son as "my greatest piece of art work and creation".

And she revealed how she had been determined to perform as much physical tasks as possible as she raised her son – hoping he would grow to be his own person.

Parys was profiled on BBC programme Child of Our Time, present by Professor Robert Winston, which captured the hearts of millions.

The programme set out to chart the lives of 25 youngsters until they reached their 20th birthdays, but Parys is the only one to have died before the milestone.

Alison achieved a first-class honours degree in fine art at Brighton University.

The inquest continues.

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