A man's 20-year nursing career has been left in tatters after he was struck off for what he himself described as "wholly inappropriate" conduct.

Shamed Laurence Lumley sent a string of text messages from his work mobile phone to a 30-year -old heroin addict he was treating at a drug centre.

The 41-year-old, from Cranbrook, was found out after a colleague tipped off his manager.

The Nursing and Midwifery Council said his conduct, which he blamed on the stress of his job, had been compounded by a five-year caution order handed down to Lumley in 2004 after he admitted lying about his qualifications on a job application form.

Mr Lumley, from Cranbrook, tried to strike up a relationship with the 30-year-old woman just days after she was referred to a drug centre.

But the texts, which he sent from his work mobile phone, were discovered by his manager, who had been tipped off by a member of staff at Cornerstone drug centre in Marsham Street, Maidstone.

The Nursing and Midwifery Council heard, after swapping mobile phone numbers with the woman, he sent a text on August 8, 2006, which read: "Just wanted to say thank you. You're so cool. Speak later."

The hearing also heard that Lumley made a series of calls to the woman on his works mobile on August 7, 8 and 10.

The texts were discovered by his manager, Vivien Anderson, who went through Lumley's desk where she found the mobile phone.

The court heard Lumley was given a five-year caution in 2004, after he admitted lying about his qualifications in an application for a job as an outreach worker.

Panel chairman, Pat Kelly, said Lumley had to be struck off because his misbehaviour with the addict was compounded by his previous order.