The mother of a Pitsea man found dead in the River Thames has told how her son's drug-related paranoia could have lead to his death.

Allan Nash, 28, left home in Woodhays to DJ at a party in London's Kings Cross back in April. He never returned home.

A decomposing body recovered from the Thames near Wapping has, with the help of dental records and clothing descriptions, now been confirmed as that of Mr Nash

The revelation has devastated his family.

His mother Marion Nash, 53, and stepfather Rob Duncan, 34, are convinced their son ended up in the water after weeks of paranoia got the better of him.

Mr Nash spent his weekends DJing at gigs around London and used drugs such as ecstasy.

In the weeks leading to his disappearance Mrs Nash said she noticed her son becoming more and more paranoid.

Mrs Nash, of London Road, Grays, said today (Tuesday): "I sat Allan down and told him it was about time he got out in the big, wide world and took care of himself.

"We had a bit of an argument and he moved to Pitsea. He had only been there for four days when he went missing.

"His friends have told us the night he went missing he was convinced the family didn't love him and that his best friend was after him.

"He was such a silly boy. I just wish he knew how many people really cared for him."

Although Mr Nash had been missing for seven weeks, his mother was convinced he had kept away to teach her a lesson.

She said: "If I didn't see Allan on a Monday I was not concerned because he had the day off work to come down from the drugs.

"I went to the police on the Tuesday when he had still not been seen by anyone.

"Even when the police officers knocked on the door this week, the penny didn't drop. When they said they had found Allan dead, I just didn't believe it was the right person - he had never spoken about being so depressed he wanted to end it all.

"I gave the police his dental records to rule out any bodies found - not to confirm one as being his."

Insp Glenn Caton, of Pitsea police, said: "Extensive inquiries have been carried out by Essex police in an attempt to trace Allan since he went missing and the outcome is very sad.

"Officers involved in the investigation genuinely feel for the family and would like to pass on their sincere condolences."

Officers are not treating the death of Mr Nash as suspicious.

Depressed - Allan Nash, whose body was found decomposed in the Thames

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