THE family of a man who died in the back of a car after taking a cocktail of alcohol and drugs have spoken of their devastation.

Ryan Conway was just 23 when he died in the rear footwell of a friend's car after taking the drug GHB (Gammahydroxybutyrate) along with alcohol.

Ryan, a furniture delivery man for Leather Leaders, had been a promising footballer, having had trials with Manchester United, Chelsea, Oxford United and Luton Town. He played for Tredegar Town and Tillery.

His father, Alan, 55, of Bryngwyn Road, Six Bells, remembered him as "full of fun and popular with everyone" and a loving dad to Chloe - his daughter by girlfriend Zoe Stevens, 22 - who was just three months old when he died.

Ryan's mother Ceinwen, 58, said: "He was a very proud father. He doted on her. His lifestyle changed when he met Zoe. He had settled down and they were really happy."

The couple were just two weeks away from moving into the home in Marlborough Road they had renovated and saved hard to pay the deposit on.

On the night Ryan died, his parents were out when they received a call from his twin, Alan Robert, urging them to return as the police were at the house with the news.

"It was our worst nightmare," said Mr Conway. "Our world was turned upside down. "You never expect to bury your child.

"People tell you to move on, but unless you've been through it yourself, you can't explain how it feels. This has devastated our family."

At an inquest into Ryan's death held last Thursday, Gwent coroner David Bowen said he was "not impressed" with the behaviour of the young man's friends.

He said Chris Parry, Ben Case, Gareth Watts, Lee Upcott and Martin Tetley, who put Ryan in the back seat of Mr Case's car overnight while they carried on socialising, had a "moral duty" to their friend.

Mr Conway said: "We feel bitter and angry that our son's life was tragically ended at the age of 23. We have to live with that for the rest of our lives."