Drink warning from family of vodka death student Mikey Cunniffe

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Mikey CunniffeImage source, Family handout
Image caption,

Mikey Cunniffe was described as a doting elder brother

The family of a student who died after consuming a bottle of vodka are warning of the dangers of heavy drinking.

Mikey Cunniffe fell asleep after finishing the bottle watching videos with his housemates and never woke up.

A coroner ruled the 20-year-old from Wigan, who was studying at Manchester Metropolitan University, died from alcohol poisoning.

His mother and stepmother warned other young people to know their alcohol limits.

Mikey's mother Christine Yates said his death in October would "haunt me for the rest of my life".

She added heavy drinking was "something we've all done and woken up with a bad hangover - he was just very unlucky".

Image caption,

Amanda Cunniffe (L) and Christine Yates say young people need to be wary of excessive drinking

"He wasn't stupid - it is just so heart-breaking, it could happen to anyone," she said.

His stepmother Amanda Cunniffe said the "soft-natured" boy who doted on his younger siblings was "never one for drinking socially and I think that's the worry really that it can happen to anybody."

She added: "It is very important to put the message across this weekend, especially while England are in the European Championships Final, that it is important to know your limit."

Ms Cunniffe and a friend raised more than £1,000 last week for a charity for grieving parents by taking part in the Manchester to Blackpool bike ride.

The second-year mechanical engineering student had also been in a band with his friends from home, having taught himself to play guitar at 15.

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