Another teenage girl is thought to have hanged herself in a Welsh town where more than a dozen youngsters have committed suicide in the past year.

The 19-year-old was found at a house in the Nantymoel area of Bridgend, in South Wales, in the early hours of yesterday, ambulance crews said.

The suicide brings to 14 the number of teenagers who have killed themselves over the past year.

Seven of those are believed to have known each other and the area's local MP, Madeleine Moon, has called a special debate on why Bridgend has a high suicide rate in the Commons on Thursday.

A local taskforce has been set up to examine the issue amid mounting concern about the possible effect of social networking websites, like Bebo, which some believe are romanticising suicide.

South Wales Police said that the latest death did not appear to be linked to the seven suicides.

However, such is the concern at the town's suicide problem that today it emerged that Paul Murphy, the Welsh Secretary, has discussed the issue with Rhodri Morgan, the Welsh Assembly First Minister.

In a House of Commons written reply after a question tabled by Ms Moon, Mr Murphy said: “Such tragic incidences are of great concern and distress to me.”

Mr Murphy told Ms Moon the taskforce was examining other “so-called copycat suicides” by young people in Bridgend since 2004.

It would determine if there are any links between the suicides and ensure that other young people, many of them friends of the victims, have access to counselling and other support services.

Mark Adams, coroner’s officer for the Bridgend area, said an inquest into the latest death is to be opened on Friday.

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