A POLICE officer who talked down a man at risk from jumping from a bridge in Colchester has received recognition.

In December 2019, PC Nicholas Hayter saved a man’s life in Colchester.

PC Hayter responded to a call for concern and when he arrived, he found a vulnerable man on the wrong side of the railings on a bridge in Colchester.

He was able to prevent the man from causing himself any further deliberate harm.

Unfortunately, whilst he was being brought to safety, the man lost his footing and was in grave danger of falling from a considerable height.

But PC Hayter successfully held him by his arm for a significant period of time until colleagues arrived to help him down from the bridge.

He said: “When I got there, I radioed for back-up and started to talk with him, but then I had to grab him.

“Colleagues arrived in a couple of minutes, but it felt like ten.

“Afterwards he thanked me and then his family arrived and took him away to get the help he needed.”

A police spokesman said: “When our officers pass out after their initial training, they pledge to protect and serve the people of Essex. This means helping people, keeping them safe and catching criminals.

“The work they do every day to investigate crime and bring people to justice is more widely known than their work to help you and keep you safe.”