Plea after teenager found dead at boyfriend's grave

Youths in Northern Ireland were today urged to seek help with problems after a teenager was found dead at the grave of a boyfriend who took his own life.

As fears heightened of a new cluster of deaths in Belfast, a priest pleaded with young people to talk about their troubles before they become overwhelming.

Father Sean Dillon, who administered the last rites to Fiona Barnes, said: “The church is always reaching out to people in difficulty, especially in these situations, in a very particular way. We do feel the pain of people who are going through such tragedies.”

His appeal came as friends and neighbours of 18-year-old Ms Barnes, from the Divismore area of west Belfast, were plunged into shock at her death.

Her body was discovered yesterday in the City Cemetery by a man out walking his dog, and police said they are not treating her death as suspicious.

Weeks earlier her boyfriend, Michael McComb, took his own life. His sister, Debbie McComb, was killed by a joyrider driving a stolen car in Belfast in March 2002.

The double tragedy has brought back harrowing memories of a six-week period at the start of this year when 13 young men in the north of the city committed suicide.

With social services and community workers battling to prevent any further deaths, a special 24-hour telephone hotline was set up.

More than a dozen counsellors were dealing with 120 people per week at the height of the crisis.