A POLICE officer who saved the life of a man attempting suicide has spoken of his relief when the man decided to climb back to safety.

PC Justin Fraser was on duty in Haslingden when he was flagged down by a motorist who alerted him to the man who was threatening to jump from the motorway bridge on Helmshore Road into the path of vehicles on the busy Haslingden Easterly by-pass.

PC Fraser, 29, said: "He was the wrong side of the safety railings screaming and shouting and I was there on my own because other officers had another incident to deal with.

"He insisted I stay back and so I was about 10 to 15ft away from him for 15 to 20 minutes and he wouldn't let me any nearer.

"If he had jumped I would not have been able to get to him in time. I have never been in that situation before, so I just kept on talking to him and trying to calm him down.

"He explained that there was a problem with his partner and eventually I got to be standing next to him so I could touch his arm and he came round, thankfully, and agreed to come back over the bridge."

PC Fraser praised a clergyman who also stopped to help, but he left the scene before PC Fraser could get his name.

The clergyman had black hair thinning on top, clean shaven and was aged 40 to 50.

Traffic on the by-pass was stopped and Helmshore Road was sealed in both directions for an hour while PC Fraser negotiated with the man.

A former policeman with the Metropolitan Police in London, PC Fraser has only been in Rossendale for a year.

He said: "It was quite scary and it was hard to know what to do because I have never dealt with anything like that before.

"I was so relieved when he finally agreed to come back to safety."

PC Fraser has received a Chief Constable's Commendation from Pennine policing division Chief Superintendent John Knowles, who praised the officer's actions.

If anyone knows the identity of the clergyman they can contact Pennine Police on 01282 472209.