Emotional tributes were last night paid to a young man who is the latest to be found dead in Bridgend.

South Wales Police yesterday confirmed they were investigating the death of Neil Owen - a 26-year-old from the Bettws area of the borough.

Neil, who spent five years working as vice-chairman at his local football club, Bettws FC, lived in the same area where 19-year-old Sean Rees was found hanging in woodlands in April after he had been socialising with friends.

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It is believed that Neil, who lived above the village's Odd Fellows pub, may have had contact with some of Bridgend's apparent suicide victims.

One resident in the area, who did not want to be named said: "I know he was very good friends with the lad who died in April."

However, Inspector Marion Stevenson, of South Wales Police, spoke only to confirm the identity of the deceased young man and said there were no suspicious circumstances surrounding the incident.

He refused to confirm whether at this stage police believed the incident to be linked to previous deaths in the area, nor whether the death was being treated as a suicide.

Last night Neil's friends and colleagues spoke of their sadness following the death of a "single young man" who had everything to live for.

Neil had spent half a decade at Bettws FC working with some of the side's reserve players and acting as vice-chairman.

Neil McEachen, secretary of the club said: "Everybody is devastated. Neil was vice-chairman and was an up-and-coming committee man for the club.

"He was funny, and would do anything for anyone. Everyone in the village and at the club is devastated."

Bettws councillor Christopher Michaelides also spoke of his shock after receiving news of another youngster's death in the borough.

Mr Michaelides said: "I was only told of the news last night and of course I am shocked. He came from a good family."

The councillor said he understood the 26-year-old had been found dead in the Aberkenfig area of the borough, but said care had to be taken over how the latest death was handled.

He said: "There are lots of rumours flying around, but we have to wait until the coroner's verdict on the cases."

Last month, Bridgend Labour MP Madeleine Moon called on the Assembly Government to consider implementing a £1m scheme which had proved effective in England at preventing suicide among young people.

She said the English scheme involved using an early intervention strategy that would offer young people help as soon as they expressed feelings of distress or despair.

It would also offer them mental health support until they reached the age of 18 - two years more than is currently offered in Bridgend.

So far there have been 20 apparent suicides in the South Wales borough.

According to the latest Government suicide statistics, the area has the fourth highest rate in South Wales, behind Cardiff, Swansea and Carmarthen.

Friends of the 26-year-old, who lived in the Bettws area of Bridgend, today continued to leave tributes to him on the networking website Bebo as they struggled to come to terms with his death.

Mr Owen, known locally as Norman, had been a close friend of 19-year-old Sean Rees, also from Bettws, who was found hanging from a tree in April.

People in the area said Mr Owen had been "very upset" by the recent deaths.

In a message to Mr Rees on his Bebo page, Mr Owen had written: "RIP Sean going to miss you so much fella you and me were like brothers it feels like there is a part of me missing now xxx"

Tributes to Mr Owen included: "cant believe u babe never thought u would do anything like this y didnt u just talk to someone im going to miss you so much, Il always be thinking of you love you forever and always love natalie"

Another message read: "norman what have u done babe!!!! cnt believe uve gone take care off sean n tash 4 me yeh love you loads ull b missed so much the hopkins family".

Inspector Gary Smart, of South Wales Police, confirmed reports that Mr Owen had been found hanging.

Officers have said his death is not being treated as suspicious and that the coroner has been informed.

They asked the media to respect the privacy of Mr Owen's family and not to make any attempt to contact them.