2 more suspected suicides in Bridgend

Police are investigating the deaths of two young cousins from the Bridgend area of south Wales, which has seen a spate of suspected teenage suicides.

The pair, named locally as cousins Kelly Stephenson, 20, and Nathaniel Pritchard, 15, died in separate incidents within hours of each other.

A total of 14 other young people are believed to have hanged themselves in Bridgend County, South Wales, in just over a year.

Ms Stephenson is reported to have been friends with two of the victims, Gareth Morgan, 27, and Liam Clarke, 20.

Tributes to Nathaniel and Ms Stephenson have been flooding in to social networking websites.

One girl, describing herself as Nathaniel's "big sis", wrote to him: "We all can't get over what you have done and don't understand why."

South Wales Police were called to an address in the Cefn Glas area of Bridgend at 9.15pm on February 13, where Nathaniel had harmed himself.

He was taken to hospital, but is thought to have died on Friday morning.

Ms Stephenson was found dead at a house in Folkestone, Kent, on the same day.

She had been visiting the area.

Police refused to divulge how the pair harmed themselves, but said initial inquiries indicated that neither death was suspicious.

On her Bebo site, Ms Stephenson said she was scared of "losing the people I love" and described herself as "just love to live life to the full".

Ms Stephenson featured photographs of Nathaniel, whom she nicknamed "Ginge", on her page.

A girl describing herself as a cousin of Nathaniel wrote: "I knew you were both very close. It's sad to see you both go so suddenly! I can't believe it."

Police have played down links between the young people who have died in the past year.

Philip Walters, Coroner for Bridgend and the Glamorgan Valleys, has said he is concerned about the recent deaths in the county, but believes there is no connection between them.

A South Wales Police spokesman said the coroner had been informed of the 15-year-old's death.

The spokesman added: "There is no evidence to suggest this incident is linked to any other incidents or sudden deaths in the area."

A Kent Police spokesman said an inquest into the 20-year-old's death will open some time next week.

The Bridgend Local Services Board has urged young people to seek help if they are facing any problems.

Childline can be contacted on 0800 1111, the local branch of Samaritans in Bridgend can be contacted on 01656 662333 and Papyrus, specialists in preventing young suicide, can be reached on 01282 432555.

Very very strange...Just dont add up .....the news here is that they wern't connected to the other deaths but seems to much of a coincidence to me

its so sad

another suicide

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/7252732.stm