THE tragedy of a young North Yorkshire woman who lost her life days after taking the danger drug mephedrone has left “a black cloud” hanging over the town where she lived.

The priest who led yesterday’s funeral service for Lois Waters, 24, spoke of how her death had created “an air of shock and sadness”.

Lois was found dead by a friend in Norton, near Malton, last week. Police say that in the 48 hours before she died, she had taken the “legal high” mephedrone, which is to be banned by the Government.

Toxicology tests are expected to reveal whether mephedrone was responsible for the tragedy, but the results will not be known for up to three weeks.

Yesterday, about 250 people gathered at St Peter’s Church in Norton to say farewell to Lois.

The Rev Bill Ankers paid tribute to her, saying after the service: “It was like a black cloud was hanging over the church. A funeral should normally be the celebrating of a long life, but Lois’s was cut tragically short. There was an air of shock and sadness about the service and the sudden loss of a young life. We talked about her experiences when she was a baby and a child and her young adult life. But tragically she never got to experience any further than that.”

Former Norton College student Lois – who had been described by her family as a “quiet, caring girl with a great sense of humour,” and as being “adored and popular” by those who knew her – was found in the early hours of last Monday by her friend, Sarah Ford.

• Hundreds of mourners attended the funeral of 19-year-old Scunthorpe chef Nicholas Smith, who died after taking mephedrone on a night out.

Nicholas, from Winterton, Lincolnshire, and his friend, Louis Wainwright, 18, died on March 15 after a night out in the town. A funeral service for Louis is due to take place on Thursday.