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Mother urges payday loan action after son's overdose

A mother has called on the government to 'stop payday loan firms targeting students' and offer low-interest loans after her son took an overdose when his debt increased to eight times the amount he had borrowed.

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Mother urges payday loan action after son's overdose

Courtney took pills containing dinitrophenol (DNP) which are deemed as unfit for human consumption. Credit: Wales News Service

A mother has called on the government to 'stop payday loan firms targeting students' after her son took an overdose of pills when his £100 debt rocketed to £800 in three months.

Sharon Lewis, of Aberdare, urged the government to offer short-term low interest loans to stop 'desperate' people from falling victim to payday loan companies.

In this economic depression I think a lot of people are struggling.

I don't blame the pay day loans companies because they are working within the law - but desperate people use them when they have no other avenues.

I think the only other way forward with that is if the government could offer some temporary solutions.

But I am not an economist, I am just a mother.

– Sharon Lewis

Her son Courtney Mitchell Lewis, 21, swallowed an overdose of slimming pills after his loan spiralled to eight times the amount he had borrowed.

After taking the pills, Courtney posted a message to friends on Facebook saying: "I don't want to die, I think it is too late."

His friends called the emergency services and he was taken to A&E, but the inquest heard it was too late to save him.

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