If the police believe there is no connection between none of the the Bridgendsuicides then they must have Inspector Clueso working on the case. There will be some negative, and the emails or phone calls of these kids and the web groups they may belong to may yield some info; but to say there is no connexion so early is stupid, ignorant and about all you would expect from the police intelligence desk.

Sean Scholfield, Barnsley, UK

To Graem Gibson of Sydney Australia, before you start abusing people you should get your facts straight, Witches do not call their male counterparts warlocks, thats for fairytales! Witches abide by the Wiccan rede, which says " Harm None" the closest we get to a sacrifice is flowers on the alter ( like the xristian church) Please do not place the blame for these sad events at the doorsteps of law abiding Witches.
The fact that there may be an occult connection to these events is not disputed, what can be called up from the Abyss is well known,
As a Witch i wish peace and happiness in the summerlands for these youngsters, Love and blessings to their loved ones

Aurora, Wiccan High Priestess, Newbury, Berkshire

The police, you've got to love them, haven't you. No connection between these terrible deaths? OK, well why don't we examine the suicide rates among similar age-groups in other UK towns of a similar size to Bridgend? Face it, there is something terrifying going on here

Nick Mortimer, London,

Do we have any suicide statistics from other towns of the same size in wales?

What is the average number of young suicides (14 - 30) that occur within a calender year? Do we have the same stats for England, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Wouldn't this information then tell us if Bridgend suicides areout of line with the general population and cause for further investigation?

Andrew Butcher, Singapore, Singapore

As mentioned elsewhere, the Police should clarify the 'no connection' comments. I can only assume they mean that there's no prior-agreement, or specific, direct and unavoidable cause-and-affect relationship. But, to say that there's no connection of 17 suicides in less than a year, in a community of under 40k people...a rate of 42 per 100k? That's higher than ANY national avg I can find. (UK's rate for 2004 was 7 per 100k)

Can anyone believe that there's no connection? It doesn't take an advanced degree to see at least one...a young girl kills herself hours after hearing her cousin did himself in. Those of us who have survived a suicide by a close relative have no trouble explaining that. Rather than perceiving Bridgend as a depressing, dreary place, maybe it's a close community, where the souls of the young are so intertwined, that one death means (so it's perceived) that life is not worth living. Would every Mum & Dad in S. Wales, please hug his/her child(ren) tonight!!

Please.

Dan'l, Portland, US/Maine

I live a long way away from Bridgend, and have heard comments along the lines of 'well, not a surprise', echoed in the comments here about 'not a world heritage site'.

But - it beggars belief that the 'official position' is that there is no connection between these seventeen suicides. That is an incredible statement.

The only post here which seems to tell a tiny bit of the truth is that from Kathryn and Aimee. These youngsters should be listened to: they are saying 'bebo doesn't enter' - probably they are correct.

jeannie, Perugia, Italy

How on earth can the police say, so quickly, that there is no link? So there is no "inciting of suicide", there is no "suicide pact", according to the police. As for the police statement "the only link is YOU the media", this is outrageous.

The link everyone is looking for - if there is one - is not merely a common denominator or factor to all the deaths, it is a causal link. Very, very different things. And to infer, by the full police statement, that the media is a causal link, is way off the mark.

17 teenage suicides in the same county within about a year (I believe). There may truly be no causal link at all, but I do question the rapidity of "there's no link" after each and every death. That suggests a "hear no evil, see no evil" attitude.

Laura Roberts, London, UK

D, Kent, England - it takes much MORE guts to live and face your problems and face the future. so please don't say you would have taken your life if you had the guts.
your past may be painful, this world is not a happy place. but there is a future and a hope - i challenge you, get on your knees and ask for the courage and strength you need. You will find everything you need there. i am not saying maybe - i am saying you WILL!
my prayers are with this sad and tragic town and all who have been touched by these unnecessary deaths.

jazz, queensland, australia

Has anyone looked at the witchcraft connection in that region?What are the warlocks and witches up to? We heard in the christian churches of Australia that there were statistics in the UK that after pagan and witchcraft festivals police have become concerned with the number of missing persons from those areas.
So many young people dying by their own hands is very, very unusual and points to increased occult activity in a particular district. Cops generally dont keep very good records on new agers and witches. I think its time we had government registers worldwide on who they are; and what they are doing.

Graeme Gibson, Sydney, Australia

Im not bagging the local police in these incidents but not always do police open up to the full. Back in 2005 I got involved in exposing a witchcraft chicken sacrifice in a small town in New South Wales, Australia (Glen Innes) and as it turned out when the story hit the local press they found out that local police were involved in a cover-up to protect local reputations. The deaths of so many people in a small region points to unusual occult activity. Though police usually dont keep too many records on warlocks and witches it would be good to see national registers on who witches are and what they are doing in their daily lives. A national telephone witch dob- in- line would start the project off well. Even today people disappear after pagan festivals in the UK and the USA. For some years I served as a policeman in Sydney.

Graeme Gibson, Sydney, Australia

Why are the police excluding homocide?

Ursula, Los Angeles, CA

Maybe these youngsters are feeling the pain of having to grieve for so many of their friends that this seems to be the only way out. For the police to say that the deaths are not connected may be correct in relation to suicide 'pacts', but where young people are losing their friends to violent and often inexplicable deaths, maybe they just feel that their grief is too overwhelming and wish to escape it. I'm fortunate in that I have so far in my life never had to deal with the death of a close friend, but I have seen what it can do to others at a young age where people should not be attending the funerals of their peers. Just as some young people commit suicide because they cannot see a future free of school bullying, perhaps some of these people could not see a way past the grieving and loss that they were going through.

Sophie, Liverpool,

"Local police (...) continue to deny any connection between the deaths." Why? To talk the problem away? To preserve the idea that "Bridgend is a nice place to live"? Why not start facing the problem?

Pic, Leeds,

I think it is very sad when suicide becomes a viable option. I'm not sure how much this has to do with collapsing industry or the lack of word heritage facilities but teenagers like to follow fads, and in a world obsessed with fame and attention, these kids seem only too pleased to increase the already sizeable toll. Dealing with these deaths individually is the only constuctive way forward. Yes, they are dead but I seriously doubt its for the same reason. Choose life. Its much harder.

J. Shephard, Leicester, UK

It is a very sad news. However, 17 youngster who commit suicide in the same area, in only one year, it is a very strange fact. And, I think the police shouldn't refute the possibility of some links among these young people that have decided to kill themseves. It's too weird!!!

pier, York,

If there is no overarching purpose to life (as atheists say - without evidence), then there is no value either. What are we teaching our young people?

Howard, Edinburgh,

Just to add to this, young people have complex lives, emotional stresses, pressures on the family unit like never before.

We focus and drive young people towards results, achievement, testing, academic success, but what about them as feeling individuals? We need to consider emotional well being, healthy human development along side this very competitive, money driven, success driven culture that not all people are managing to cope with.

Communities in rural areas have suffered so BADLY in terms of resources that the urban masses take for granted, they are often socially and materially marginalised, with unequal life opportunities.

The welsh assembly, the national government need to address this, all we hear from the media is "feral teens" negative stereo typing of young adults .... the nations future capital wasted in a moments madness. Anybody with suicidal should reach out to someone.

CraigT, wales,

I can understand why so many lads have hung themselves, when industry collapses they become seriously low status men. Low status women can find a man to love them, but low status men can't.

However, why it would be so concentrated is a mystery, unless of course there's suicides all over not being reported, and the hacks have just picked up on Bridgend.

That said I used to stay in Bridgend whenever I went the 5 nations, and I have to say, it's not exactly a world heritage site is it?

Morris , Aylesbury, Bucks.,

I was raised on a council estate where the future to many young people meant an uninspiring job, or smoking dope while playing computer games and hanging round the shopping centre. The only ones with a bright future were the people with qualifications. Either you were brainy and going to do fine or you were thick and doomed. I cannot imagine it is any different these days. But life is not black & white. I was not brainy but I was certainly not stupid and I realised early on that life is what you make of it. You don’t need a university degree to have a fulfilling career, if where you live is not inspiring then leave. Travel is easier and cheaper then it has ever been. Volunteer to work abroad, see the lives that other people lead in the developing world. That will help you to appreciate what a wonderful gift life is. This planet is sick from human damage get involved in environmental projects. Be the best human being you can stop living for 'stuff' and living in fear. Get out there

Kitty Louise, London,

For crying out loud stop printing the names - if they want a memorial surely a roll call in The Times is granting their wish.

Helen, Oxford,

This is so tragic, and what is distressing is the seeming oblivion to the statistically aberrant method of death. Consistently these young people have hanged themselves. Yet, especially for young women, hanging is not usually a chosen method. As a mother and teacher I would be demanding the mental health services to conduct a "no stone left unturned" inquiry whilst simultaneously sending in adolescent mental health experts to find out what is developing prior to the suicides. So profoundly sad.

Sue Moore, La Jolla, California, USA

Why do young people have to die for others to start listening? I seem to recall an election not so long ago when all the politicians seemed to care about was the swing voters in the marginal constituencies - the old of course because only they tend to vote - and just a few seats because only they could make a difference.

Personally I don't have the guts to commit suicide, otherwise I'd have died decades ago, but the longing crosses my mind most days. I cannot escape my unhappy past; the present is filled with stress and tedious repeats; the future offers nothing but more anger and frustration.

D, Kent, England

Its Aimee, Kathryn and Jamie Here.
Just Wanted To Say That There Should Be More Social Support Groups For Teenagers And A lot More Investigations On These Suicides! This Is No Where Near A Internet Suicide Pact!
we are all bebo users and have never come across any thing to do with this topic.
and to any teenagers feeling any emotional issues, we advise you to talk to someone before deciding to do anything drastic that could cause permanant damage.
R.I.P Jenna Parry and everyone else. Sadly Missed :( x

Kathryn - Aimee Jones, Bridgend, South Wales