A SELKIRK mother has spent this week campaigning outside the Foreign Office in a bid to have an investigation into her son's death reopened.

Andrew Watt was found dead on a quiet country lane in France on September 8, 2010.

The 31-year-old from Ettrickbridge was found in Pays De La Loire with injuries including bruising, scratches and a broken ankle.

Andrew had indicated to his partner just days before his death of his intention to return to the Scottish Borders.

His family had to endure a three-month wait for his body, which was eventually returned to the UK without many of his organs.

They were forced to pay more than £6,000 to get his body home and a further £2,750 to recover his organs.

A French Police investigation was closed a month after his death with the conclusion that Andrew had committed suicide by overdosing on the medication he took for paranoid schizophrenic.

An official verdict which was published the following year by French authorities found that the cause of his death 'could not be ascertained/no offence'.

In 2015 during an inquest at Crook Coroner's Court in Durham, consultant pathologist Dr Paul Barrett, who conducted a post-mortem examination on Mr Watt's body, said a number of prescription drugs were in his system.

But the coroner returned an Open Verdict, stating that there were discrepancies in the evidence.

Since then Andrew's mother, Julie Sheppard, has continued to fight for the truth.

Julie said: "It is over six years since Andrew died but it is never too late for a full, fair and proper investigation to take place.

"This investigation has to be carried out with French and British police working together.

"Our government have to be forced to understand that to ask other countries for help and clarification about the death of a UK citizen abroad can only but earn them respect.

"The British Coroner stated that there were discrepancies and sadly it is now down to us - Andrew's family- to gather evidence for the case to be looked at again.

"There are too many unanswered questions for one case."

As well as starting an online petition - www.change.org/p/julie-sheppard-we-want-a-full-investigation-into-andrew-watt-s-death-in-france - Julie has spent this week outside the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in Westminster.