A TRAINED police negotiator talked a distressed man out of jumping from Heysham cliffs on Monday evening.

The stand-off specialist was flown in by police helicopter after the man's brother raised the alarm.

The man, who has not been named, was located on the rocky outcrop close to St Patrick's Chapel and he told the police to back off or he would jump.

After nearly an hour with the police negotiator the man backed away from the edge and made his way to safety.

The stand-off specialist had been flown in from Warton near Preston and talked with the distressed man as paramedics stood by.

A police spokesman said: "The specially trained officer used techniques to try and calm the man and rationalise with him, which he managed to do.

He came away from the cliffs and he is okay."

An ambulance spokesman said: "He shouted at us to stay away or else he would jump.

The police negotiator did a grand job talking him down.

The man was very emotional and apologetic about what had happened."