TWO more Newport men have died because of heroin - adding two more devastated families to the toll of misery the drug has caused in Gwent.

The reports of the deaths of two men in the Somerton area came within days of police warnings about the dangers of the drug following the jailing of heroin killer Kristian Atherton.

The dead men have been named locally as 37-year-old Anthony Davies and 25-year-old John Bessant. Mr Davies was found dead in Conway Croft on Saturday afternoon.

Within 24 hours, Mr Bessant was found in nearby Somerton Park.

It is expected that laboratory analysis will confirm that heroin at least contributed to both deaths.

Superintendent Kevin Price of Newport police repeated his plea, made after Atherton was jailed for six years for killing Darren Rooney by injecting him with heroin, for information to help eradicate the scourge of the drug.

An Argus investigation earlier this year revealed that deaths linked to the drug have been running at around one a week over the last 12 months.

Superintendent Price says that there have been 50 deaths in Gwent over the past year where heroin has been a cause - either directly by overdose or as a contributory factor.

And in February, heroin with a street value of £50,000 was seized in Newport.

Superintendent Price, of Newport Police, said: "The weekend has seen another two tragic deaths from drugs.

"We expect that analysis will confirm that the misuse of heroin was involved in the deaths. "The question is how many more such tragedies do there have to be before the community sits up and helps us with the information to tackle the dealers in death?

"The misuse of heroin is having an impact on our communities both in terms of tragedies such as these and the effect on families.

"We have people stealing from close relatives to feed their habit.

"We estimate that deaths related to the use of heroin are running at one a week.

"That is both directly from overdoses and from pneumonia and other illnesses which are brought on by the use of heroin."

Superintendent Price called on anyone with information about heroin pushers to contact Newport police on 01633 244999. He added: "Any information will be treated in the utmost confidence." l Editorial comment: Page 18