Lorry driver praised for parking under motorway bridge to stop man jumping off it

Citizen support group shared story to raise awareness of mental health issues

Social media users praised the lorry driver for his act (Vulnerable Citizen Support Leeds)

A lorry driver has been praised after parking beneath a motorway bridge which it was feared a man would jump off.

A photograph shared on social media show a man sat on the edge of a bridge flanked by what appears to be two police officers.

Cheshire Police said it was called to a bridge over the M62 by Warrington on Tuesday afternoon due to safety concerns.

Vulnerable Citizen Support Leeds, a community interest company providing welfare services for those in need, shared a photograph of the incident on their Facebook page to raise awareness of mental health issues.

The non-profit organisation said it was sharing the image to show "it's okay not be ok".

The group, who also deliver food to the homeless, praised the lorry driver for taking action.

"What a trucker," the post said. "Stopping on the hard shoulder and leaving his truck there - to ensure when he did jump it wasn’t a longer distance to the floor."

It added: "What people don’t understand is that to jump on the other side of any bridge - indicates something drastically wrong with [their] mental health. But whats next?"

Social media users were united in praise for the lorry driver, with one user commenting: "Trucker is a good human and deserves the utmost respect."

Another wrote: "God bless the trucker and I hope and pray the man who was suicidal gets the help he needs and deserves."

Highways England confirmed to The Independent that the M62 was closed at Junction 9 by Warrington on Tuesday due to a police incident.

A Cheshire Police spokesperson told Sky News reports of safety concerns for a man on an M62 bridge by Warrington came through on Tuesday afternoon.

She said: "A full closure was put in place while officers and specialist negotiators attended to the scene to engage with the man who was brought to safety and handed into the care of paramedics."

If you are experiencing feelings of distress and isolation, or are struggling to cope, The Samaritans offers support; you can speak to someone for free over the phone, in confidence, on 116 123 (UK and ROI), email jo@samaritans.org, or visit the Samaritans website to find details of your nearest branch.