The photos of Rachel's death shocked the nation

The parents of drug addict Rachel Whitear, whose image was shown with a syringe in her hand when she died, are to request that another police force deals with the review of their daughter's case.

Devon and Cornwall Police confirmed on Saturday it had launched its third investigation into the 21-year-old's death after it was revealed a blood sample showed only a small amount of the drug in her body when she died.

Miss Whitear, from Ledbury, Herefordshire, was originally believed to have died from a drug overdose.

The force is assigning a detective chief superintendent to review the original investigation into Miss Whitear's death.

'Inconsistent tests'

But her parents, Mick and Pauline Holcroft, say they have never been happy about the way the police handled the investigation almost three years ago.

We are now going to be writing to the Devon and Cornwall police to ask if the review may be carried out by a different police force to get a fresh view Pauline Holcroft

They have agreed to their daughter's body being exhumed if police want to carry out further tests as part of any new inquiry.

But Mrs Holcroft said she believes a different police force should supervise the investigation.

"There are several questions which need to be answered," she said.

"Initially we all believed it was a straight forward overdose of heroin. She had been an addict but at the time she died she was in contact with me and I had seen her two weeks before and we believed she was not using."

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She added: "We were never happy with the inquest which was held seven months after her death and produced an open verdict.

"The blood tests were inconsistent and some of the statements did not tie up with the events around Rachel's death.

"We are now going to be writing to the Devon and Cornwall police to ask if the review may be carried out by a different police force to get a fresh view."

Miss Whitear's death made national headlines when her parents agreed to release pictures showing her kneeling as she died with a syringe in her hand.

Miss Whitear was living in a bedsit in Exmouth when her body was discovered by her landlord.

A post-mortem examination was not carried out.