BRIDGEND DEATH INQUESTS UNDER WAY

Seventeen young people from the South Wales county are thought to have killed themselves since January last year.

Bridgend Coroner Philip Walters is conducting hearings into the deaths of Allyn Price, Leigh Jenkins, Jason Williams, Andrew O'Neil and Gareth Morgan.

Mr Walters has expressed concern at the number of young people to have taken their lives in the area, but said he does not believe there are any links between all the deaths.

Police have publicly ruled out suicide pacts among the victims as being a trigger for the deaths. Suggestions that internet sites played a part have also been dismissed.

Mr Walters said: "I have said all that is to be said about the series of events.

"I have this morning to look at each of these individually and that is how I propose to deal with it.

"The only thing that I am happy to be placed on record as saying is that I hope these events in Bridgend, if they have done anything, they have been the catalyst to give us a national strategy covering the whole of Wales for young deaths."