Lorna Spinks was her mother's 'golden girl'

Lorna's parents were praised for their bravery by Paul Betts - who has campaigned against the use of ecstasy since his daughter Leah died after taking the drug.

Lorna, who was studying sociology at Anglia Polytechnic University, Cambridge, was pictured at Addenbrooke's Hospital in the city shortly after she died on Monday.

Cambridgeshire Police said they agreed to arrange the photograph at her parents' request but expected the force to be criticised because many people would think the picture was in bad taste.

Courage

The photograph, printed in the Daily Mail, shows Lorna's swollen face, with one eye half-open and tubes sticking out of her nose and mouth.

It was taken by a local news agency - with the family's agreement - which has been selling it on to newspapers and other media.

Mr Betts, whose daughter Leah died in 1995 after taking ecstasy at her 18th birthday party at her home in Latchingdon, Essex, said the couple should be applauded for "sticking their heads above the parapet".

I applaud Lorna's parents for their courage and for sticking their heads above the parapet

Paul Betts

The former policeman had agreed for a picture of his daughter to be released to the media while she was alive, but unconscious.

He said: "I've never regretted my decision about the photograph of Leah. If it saved one life it was worth it.

"I applaud Lorna's parents for their courage. It must have been incredibly hard. But it may save a life."

Mrs Spinks said it would be worth the controversy if it saved any other family going through what they had suffered.

"To see a child like Lorna, who was so, so pretty and when she was dying she looked like a monster who had been run over by a truck," she said.

Lorna died in hospital a day after collapsing in the early hours of Sunday.

'Euro' pills

Police said she had taken two lime-coloured pills marked with a euro symbol before visiting the Cambridge nightclub.

The police spokeswoman said Lorna's parents had wanted her to be photographed while she was in a coma but the student had died before the picture could be arranged.

Superintendent Tony Southern, of Cambridgeshire Police, said the pills were "of exceptionally high strength" and warned there could be more in circulation in the area.

A man who was being questioned by detectives investigating the Spinks case has been charged with supplying ecstasy, but not to Lorna.

He is due to appear before magistrates in Cambridge on Friday.

A second man has been released without charge pending further inquiries.

Police say it is "highly unlikely" Lorna's death was connected with the death of a 19-year-old man in Thetford, Norfolk.