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| Police probe town's suicide spate | |
| (about 6 hours later) | |
| Police and health services in south Wales have set up a group aimed at preventing more suicides in Bridgend and the surrounding area. | |
| Last week, Natasha Randall, 17, was found hanging at her Blaengarw home, near Bridgend, and a girl believed to know her self-harmed a day later. | Last week, Natasha Randall, 17, was found hanging at her Blaengarw home, near Bridgend, and a girl believed to know her self-harmed a day later. |
| Seven young people have committed suicide in the past year in the area. | Seven young people have committed suicide in the past year in the area. |
| Officers said they had spoken to a number of young people and parents to urge them to be vigilant. | Officers said they had spoken to a number of young people and parents to urge them to be vigilant. |
| South Wales Police have joined a focus group set up to tackle the issue of suicides and suicide attempts among young people in the area. | |
| The group, which also includes members from Bro Morgannwg Health Trust, local schools and Bridgend council, is working on an action plan. | The group, which also includes members from Bro Morgannwg Health Trust, local schools and Bridgend council, is working on an action plan. |
| We need to get the message across that they can contact us about anything they want Darren Matthews, Samaritans | We need to get the message across that they can contact us about anything they want Darren Matthews, Samaritans |
| Over the last incident, police said they were investigating whether there was any communication between the girls over the internet, either by e-mail or via social networking sites. | Over the last incident, police said they were investigating whether there was any communication between the girls over the internet, either by e-mail or via social networking sites. |
| Supt Tim Jones, divisional commander of Bridgend police, said they were looking at the circumstance surrounding Natasha's death. | Supt Tim Jones, divisional commander of Bridgend police, said they were looking at the circumstance surrounding Natasha's death. |
| "It is important to stress that at this time we have not established any direct links between [this] death and a 15-year-old girl attempting to harm herself in Pontycymmer on Friday. | |
| 'Prevention' | 'Prevention' |
| "However they were known to each other as you would expect in small neighbouring communities," he said. | "However they were known to each other as you would expect in small neighbouring communities," he said. |
| "One line of enquiry within the investigation is the examination of the computer of the 17-year-old girl which is currently on-going. | |
| "Clearly communication between friends and associates is an important consideration. | "Clearly communication between friends and associates is an important consideration. |
| "There is a growing trend for young people to communicate through telephone text messaging and also over the internet whether it's e-mail or within chat room forums." | "There is a growing trend for young people to communicate through telephone text messaging and also over the internet whether it's e-mail or within chat room forums." |
| Last summer, Bridgend coroner Philip Walters said he was "desperately concerned" about the number of suicides among young men in the Bridgend and south Wales valleys area. | Last summer, Bridgend coroner Philip Walters said he was "desperately concerned" about the number of suicides among young men in the Bridgend and south Wales valleys area. |
| Darren Matthews, branch director of the Samaritans charity in Bridgend, said there had been a "marked increase" in the suicide rate among young people over the past year, adding they had heard reports of at least one suicide a month. | Darren Matthews, branch director of the Samaritans charity in Bridgend, said there had been a "marked increase" in the suicide rate among young people over the past year, adding they had heard reports of at least one suicide a month. |
| 'Chat' | 'Chat' |
| His organisation has been involved for over a year with a suicide prevention group, and has also been holding meetings with the local MP, Madeline Moon, on the issue since June. | His organisation has been involved for over a year with a suicide prevention group, and has also been holding meetings with the local MP, Madeline Moon, on the issue since June. |
| "The problem is young people think their problems are too trivial. We need to get the message across that they can contact us about anything they want. | "The problem is young people think their problems are too trivial. We need to get the message across that they can contact us about anything they want. |
| "Madeline was instrumental in setting up what we call coffee-and-a-chat sessions to get young people to come along and chat, whether about moving from home to university, families, whatever," Mr Matthews said. | "Madeline was instrumental in setting up what we call coffee-and-a-chat sessions to get young people to come along and chat, whether about moving from home to university, families, whatever," Mr Matthews said. |
| Asked whether he thought modern technology could be adding to the problem, he said: "The internet is a method of communication that has been used for some time and just like the telephone you can't stop people using it. | Asked whether he thought modern technology could be adding to the problem, he said: "The internet is a method of communication that has been used for some time and just like the telephone you can't stop people using it. |
| "We can't say whether it has any impact on suicides. | "We can't say whether it has any impact on suicides. |
| "We do a lot of work with social networking sites and we are on these websites and hopefully people will come through to us." | "We do a lot of work with social networking sites and we are on these websites and hopefully people will come through to us." |