BARRY police are investigating the gory discovery of a young woman's body at a popular beauty spot.

The discovery was made of 21-year-old Louise Anne Pugh, from Ely, at the bottom of the notorious Southerndown cliffs.

Police launched the probe after a walker, exercising in Dunraven Bay, spotted her shortly after 11.30am on Sunday, February 16.

A spokesman for the Coastguard said the woman had fallen in an inaccessible spot on rocks beneath the 250 foot cliffs at Temple Bay.

He added: "Barry and Porthcawl Coastguard, together with the Porthcawl lifeboat service, assisted police in recovering the body from the cliffs at Dunraven Bay."

The body of Louise Anne Pugh was taken to Llandough Hospital for a post-mortem examination.

The Cardiff and Vale of Glamorgan coroner's officer, Derek Hassan, is expected to open an inquest later this week. The deceased woman's next of kin have been informed.

The discovery makes this the eighth death in just over two years in that area.

The first was in December 2000, and after the last one, on November 7, 2002, calls were made for action to prevent the 250 foot cliffs from becoming South Wales' most infamous suicide spot.

Vale of Glamorgan councillor Audrey Preston had made an appeal for stone blocks to be installed at intervals along the top of the sheer drops, after the suicides of two young people in July and August 2001.

But an offer from Ewenny Quarry operators Minimix to install the blocks was turned down by the Heritage Coast, who opted for wooden posts and concrete bollards in an effort to stop cars being driven off the edge.

The death of Louise Anne Pugh is not being treated as suspicious at this stage, but officers would like anyone with information, or who may have seen her over the weekend, to contact Barry CID on 01446 734451.