Gerry Agar, a close friend of Peaches' late mother Paula Yates, says she knew the writer/TV presenter - who died of a heroin overdose in April - was in 'trouble' some time ago and reached out to encourage her to seek help after claiming others close to her refused to address her reliance on heroin.
She said: 'I knew she was in trouble years ago and I tried to confront her about it. So many people around her knew about it but said nothing. But I'd lost my mother and my best friend to heroin and I didn't want to lose Peaches. I wrote her a letter but I never heard from her again."
The author hoped Peaches would turn her back on drugs for good when she married Thomas Cohen in 2012 and after seeing she had 'tried' to quit the habit after having sons Astala, two, and Phaedra, 15 months, was convinced she would win her battle.
However, despite apparent signs she had returned to heroin, Gerry claims Peaches' friends 'turned a blind eye' and ignored her problem.
She added to Grazia magazine: 'I knew she was trying to come off heroin and I thought she could make it. But then it started again. I knew it was happening. I think a lot of people did but turned blind eyes."
Last week, it was revealed that Peaches had died of an accidental overdose.
