Quick-thinking hero helps save man who threatened to jump off motorway bridge

Arran Waits, 23, spotted the person perched over the motorway just before 7am on Sunday.

Initially ‘thinking nothing off it’, the Veritech security worker briefly continued his journey towards work at the Tipner coronavirus testing centre before feeling compelled to turn round at Hilsea and speed back to the scene.

Events had spiralled in the intervening few minutes with the man balanced precariously on the edge of the bridge.

After parking his car, Arran raced up to the man before trying to talk the male round. ‘I got next to him and he said: “If you come any closer then that’s it.” I tried to keep him talking and keep him calm while I was on the phone to police giving them details,’ Arran said.

‘He was on the barrier - it was his decision whether to stay or fall. He wasn’t making much sense and was just talking about his depression and living conditions.’

Arran had been left single-handedly trying to save the man after no other vehicles responded to his desperate signals for help until another driver got out his car to offer support before police and paramedics turned up.

Then, the stretch of road was closed off in both directions.

‘Police were talking to him and trying to get him to come back over the railings. This lasted up to 40 minutes,’ Arran said.

Disaster nearly happened anyway when the male, who it was now discovered had blood pouring from a wound, nearly slipped and fell off the bridge after becoming dizzy.

Arran said: ‘The man had lost a lot of blood and was swaying. He suddenly slipped but the paramedic and policeman managed to grab his arm.

‘I then grabbed him as well and we all managed to get him back over the barrier and onto the floor. He was ok but obviously not in a good place mentally and was put into an ambulance.’

Arran, who lives in Waterlooville, admitted things could easily have ended in tragedy. He said: ‘If I didn’t go back after first seeing him then it could have been fatal and I would always have thought to myself I should have gone back to help.’

Arran was two hours late for work but added: ‘I feel better that I went to help and there was a positive outcome.’

A police spokesman said: ‘We were called following concerns raised for the welfare of a man. Closures were put in place on the road while police and ambulance attended, and safely moved the man away from the bridge.’

Anyone who is struggling and would like to talk to someone in confidence can contact the listening service The Samaritans on 116 123, or by emailing [email protected] – there is a 24-hour response time on email. People can also write to Chris, Freepost RSRB-KKBY-CYJK, PO Box 9090, Stirling FK8 2SA.

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