The predominantly nationalist community of West Belfast has been rocked by ten suicides in the local area in recent months - including three in the space of just a week.

Stricken by the deaths of so many young people, the community is desperate to uncover the root of the growing problem.

Kick Start Your Heart, a group established to urgently address the rising number of young people taking their own lives in the area has begun a campaign to remind young people that suicide is "a permanent solution to a temporary problem."

"A lot of people seem to think when they take their own life, that's the end of it - it's not. There's a huge aftermath left behind and that needs to be addressed," Dee Steen, the campaign spokesperson told the press this week.

Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams, who attended the Mass for one of the young men who took his own life last week told the press: "I'm very gratified by the community response - this is a great community, these are great young people. But I'm not yet satisfied that it's been tackled properly by the agencies charged with responsibility."

Sinn Fein Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness called for a coordinated response from government agencies, which he said had a duty and responsibility to deal with the issue.

"This is an area of obvious disadvantage - there are other areas in the north of obvious disadvantage - and I think particular attention has to be paid by all departments within government to the difficulties that exist within communities such as this," McGuinness told the press.