The number of suspected suicides to hit the village of Gnosall, Staffordshire, in the past year has reached six.

Terry Ball, 35, is thought to have killed himself at his home Audmore Road at the weekend. His body was found at 8am on Saturday. Police are not treating his death as suspicious. An official cause of death has not be established.

Mr Ball's death is the latest suspected suicide in the village, which has a population of less than 4,000, according to Staffordshire County Council.

In December, Craig Parsons, 40, was found hanged, while four months later, Peter Forrester, 35, died of an overdose. In April, Nigel Buckley-Robins, 50, died of an overdose of pethidine (a painkiller) and alcohol.

The coroner for Staffordshire South recorded a verdict of suicide for all three deaths.

Later this year, Jessica Littleton, 17, was found hanged, and an open verdict recorded by the coroner.

In August, Ian Gould, 75, was also discovered hanged. The coroner has not yet recorded a verdict.

The deaths are not thought to be linked and have been investigated separately.