Two people have been found dead in the same family favourite seaside town within the space of a few hours. A badly-burned body was found in a car gutted by fire – and a woman was found dead in the waters off the Welsh resort.

The tragedies were less than 12 hours apart within two miles of each other in Porthcawl, population 16,000. Police are investigating both tragedies but have not revealed any link between the two dead people in the town full of summer day-trippers. The unnamed body was found inside a vehicle following a fire in the early hours of this morning on a residential street.

Investigators near the burnt car© John Myers

It followed the discovery of a woman’s body on Wednesday in the sea.

In a statement, South Wales Police said emergency services were called to a “fire incident” involving multiple vehicles on Thursday morning.

After the fire was extinguished, they found a deceased person inside one of the vehicles on Mackworth Road – and investigations are ongoing.

A spokesperson for the force said: “South Wales Police was called at 2.50am this morning, Thursday August 28, by South Wales Fire and Rescue Service reporting a fire incident involving multiple vehicles on Mackworth Road in Porthcawl.

Porthcawl© John Myers

“Once the fire was extinguished, emergency personnel discovered a deceased person inside one of the vehicles. Formal identification has yet to be carried out and the cause of the fire remains undetermined.

“A cordon remains in place both ways from Bungalow Avenue, which is about halfway down Mackworth Road, to the bottom of Mackworth Road by the beach.

“There is also no pedestrian access across Mackworth Road from the Hi Tide complex to Coney Beach amusement park.

“Investigations are ongoing to determine the circumstances surrounding the fire.”

Porthcawl© John Myers

The previous day, on Wednesday, August 27, a separate incident occurred less than 10 minutes down the road when a woman’s body was found in the sea near Rest Bay.

Emergency services, the coastguard rescue teams and lifeguards were called to the beach shortly before 3pm after reports a body had been seen in the sea.

South Wales Police said there were no indications of suspicious circumstances surrounding the incident.

A statement said: “South Wales Police received a call shortly before 2:55pm yesterday, Wednesday, August 27, reporting the discovery of a woman’s body in the sea at Rest Bay, Porthcawl.

“At this time, there are no indications of suspicious circumstances surrounding the incident.”