News

It has emerged a young woman on holiday in Folkestone is one of two young people from an area at the centre of a recent spate of suspected suicides to have been found dead in separate incidents 240 miles apart.

Nathaniel Pritchard aged 15, from Bridgend in South Wales, died in hospital on Wednesday (14 February) after he is thought to have harmed himself.

Kelly Stephenson, 20, who was on holiday in Folkestone, was found dead this morning (15 February) after being told of Nathaniel's condition.

They were cousins and lived close to each other in the Welsh town.

South Wales Police issued a statement denying any link between the deaths. It said: “We were called to an address in Bridgend to a report that a 15-year-old boy had harmed himself. He has since died. There is no evidence to suggest this incident is linked to any other incidents in the area.”

A spokeswoman for Kent Police said: "We can confirm that a 20-year-old woman was found dead at an address in Folkestone.

The latest suspected suicides will increase the intense debate over why the town has such a high number of suicides among young people.

Prior to the latest deaths, since January last year 14 victims aged between 15 and 27 had reportedly hanged themselves.