A video telling the story of a young Herefordshire student who died of a heroin overdose is to be given to schools in the county as part of an anti-drugs campaign.

Photographs of 21-year-old Rachel Whitear were released last year and now form part of the video which will be played to 14 to 16-year-olds.

The video was shown to sixth formers at Lady Hawkins School in Kington earlier in the year and local education bosses believe the success of that trial will help push the anti-heroin message.

Rachel's parents, Mick and Pauline Holcroft, backed the use of images of their daughter's death as they met Tony Blair in Downing Street on Monday.

Rachel's parents campaign for drug awareness

The 22-minute video has been sent out to schools in Herefordshire.

Other schools across the UK have also asked for copies.

During trials, teenagers who saw the film were said to be "stunned" by the images.

Herefordshire Council launched the tape on Monday as Rachel's parents met with Prime Minister Tony Blair.

Mr Holcroft told BBC Radio Hereford and Worcester: "We're disappointed we can't be in Hereford today.

"We'd been invited to go to Downing Street and put a question to the prime minister and we felt that was a larger scale situation.

"Whether it be Herefordshire children or children in London it's the same message we're trying to get through"

Councillor Don Rule, the cabinet member for education, said: "We know that by using this video youngsters will get a glimpse of the devastating effects drug taking has."