DEAR heroin — I want you out of my life.

These are the words of Hannah Meredith just three weeks before she died, when she wrote a letter to the killer drug that tragically led to her death on October 20 last year.

"You're the worst thing that ever came into my life," wrote the 17-year-old.

"You've messed up nearly two-and-a-half years of my life, but I've still got my whole life ahead of me, and I'm going to prove to everyone that I can stay away from you."

Her mum Louise said it had taken Hannah great courage to put pen to paper.

"She read it to me in the dining room. She had written it in her diary," she said.

"It was a letter in desperation of how heroin had taken over her life.

"I cried when she read it out to me. She was so proud of it.

"I was so proud she had written it. I told her to write it up and I would send it into the Star."

The 43-year-old, who lives on Bryn Elli Road in Dafen, explained that Hannah had wanted to warn others to stay away from heroin.

Louise said: "She was so proud that it might help and warn people and children about what she went through.

"She was so happy that I said I would take it to the Star.

"It is something Hannah wanted, it is all about what Hannah went through.

"She was just amazing. She was never afraid to admit she had problems.

"She was ashamed to what she did to the family."

Louise said the family was still struggling to deal with her death.

She said: "Hannah was so helpful, loving and kind.

"Everything about her personality lit up the room. She lit up everybody's lives.

"She always told everybody how much she loved them.

"Hannah would help anyone — she was the most loving person.

"She was always mischievous, not naughty, but she was always full of beans."

Louise, who has three other children, recalled how the majority of people who attended Hannah's funeral wore pink.

"She loved sparkles and pink, especially when she was little. She had a pink cowboy hat with sparkles," she said.

"I just miss her terribly. My life is empty without her."

Former deputy head teacher at Hannah's school, Bryngwyn, Karen Holland, said she would always remember Hannah.

"I was greatly saddened when I heard about her death," said Mrs Holland, who is currently the head teacher at Birchgrove Comprehensive School in Swansea.

"I worked very closely with her mother and other pastoral staff in the school to give her every support.

"I remember Hannah as a delightful pupil who got in with the wrong crowd.

"I think it is such a tragedy.

"I remember her as being bright, charismatic and an individual who had great potential."

Goodbye Heroin, by 17-year-old Hannah Meredith.

Dear Heroin

I never want to touch you ever again, you've ruined my life, made me steal from my family, on probation 'cause of you, why I choose you I don't know?

You're the worst thing that ever came into my life. Yes, I did love you but now it's time to say goodbye.

I'm so ashamed of myself 'cause of you. I OD three times, you're a big risk to anyone that does it and to me.

So I'm going to be strong and stay away from you and never touch you again. My family have supported me all the way but I just kick them up the backside taking advantage of them.

Stole off my mother, granddad, Mam Iscoed. I borrowed money off her and didn't give it back. She's getting old now, and look what you've made me do, my nan — £120 stolen off her, once again 'cause of you.

I love my family from the bottom of my heart, it's not nice being called a junkie or smacked.

It feels horrible, you feel so small. Well I feel small, you made me feel like I'm worth nothing, just a dirty junkie sticking needles in my arms.

You're out of my life now, don't need you no more. Yeah, you've messed me up nearly two and a half years of my life but I've still got my whole life ahead of me and I'm going to prove to everyone that I can stay away from you, going to college, getting a job and a car.

Then get on with my life and get my family's trust back. Stop offending, that's the only reason I was doing all that 'cause of your dirty addiction. You make me sick to be honest with you.

I did love the buzz of you but you're not worth it. By losing my family, thinking about you p****s me off.

But not anymore, I'll make sure you stay away from me, and I'll stay away from you.

I was brought up by a good family not a bad one, yeah I've had a lot of problems in my life, been quite bad actually, all because of you (Heroin) (gear), (smack)!!

You're a killer, you've killed a lot of people and really they are good people. I'm lucky that you haven't put me in a box cemetery. Lost loads of my mates and it hurts me, they sometimes blank me 'cause they know I've been on you (gear) it's not nice when I've got pin holes in my arms and marks, track marks.

The illness that I go through when I use you and the after effects, cold turkey, clucking (corr), withdrawals, it's the worst feeling that you've put me through, being bad off you.

Wanted to kill myself a few times 'cause I couldn't go through it. Well guess what (heroin) I can and did do it. I can beat you anytime. I can control you, you don't control me.

I've got enough will power to get you out of my life for good. I'm strong and much stronger than you can ever be. I'm not losing anything over you. Goodbye heroin.

Never again. Family comes first.

Hannah Meredith