POLICE and a member of the public risked their lives to save a man threatening to jump from a busy road into the River Teign at Kingsteignton.

Their heroics were played out as hundreds of Easter visitors drove past the drama scene just before 2.30pm on Easter Monday. A police patrol called for urgent assistance from colleagues after the distressed man was spotted in a dangerous position on the A380 bridge over the estuary.

The man, who has not been named, was on the wrong side of the bridge railings. A police spokesman said: ‘Other officers were immediately dispatched to assist their colleagues but, realising the imminent danger, officers and a passing motorist grabbed hold of the male and dragged him to safety.’

The man was detained under the provisions of the Mental Health Act. He was taken, unhurt, by ambulance to Torbay Hospital for assessment. Local Response Sergeant Mark Arthurs was quick to praise those who intervened.

He thanked the member of the public, his officers and an attending police dog handler ‘who had all put their lives at risk to save the male.’

The spokesman commented: ‘Given the high-profile location, Sgt Arthurs said that there would have been a number of witnesses to the police activity.

‘He wanted to reassure them that the incident was resolved very quickly and disruption to the road network was minimal, particularly given the holiday traffic.’