THE family of a 24-year-old man who died after falling from a balcony have told of their grief.

Anthony Holdsworth, a recovering drug addict, fell 35ft from a balcony at his home in Thornaby, near Stockton.

He died a week later on Saturday, May 1, and an inquest was opened yesterday.

A spokesman for the family said that although Mr Holds-worth, a fan of Middlesbrough Football Club, had been a heroin addict he was clean at the time of his death.

The spokesman said: "Anthony grew up in Middlesbrough and was a real Middlesbrough lad. He was loved by all his family and had lots and lots of friends.

"This was a tragic accident but he did not have a tragic life. Far from it. He was a very attractive lad, not just in looks but in personality. He had great laughs and great fun through all his adversity."

The spokesman told how the family, including his brother, Neville, 21, to whom Mr Holdsworth was extremely close, had "been through hell" while Mr Holdsworth hung on to life for a week.