A POLICE officer has spoken of the moment a man he was trying to rescue from the roof of a derelict building let go and almost fell 45ft to his death.

PC Craig Illingworth was on the roof of the derelict former gym and factory next to Victoria Parade, Waterfoot, in the early hours of yesterday with PC Christopher Adams. PC Mark Taylor was on the ground, co-ordinating the rescue.

It is understood that the man was depressed and at one stage threatenend to jump.

PC Illingworth, 39, said: "The conditions were hellish. The rain was lashing down and the slates were loose and very slippy. I could feel them moving as I walked across the roof.

"The man had gone to the end of the factory and there was a 45ft drop into the river. He had his feet over the edge of the roof.

"At first we couldn't see him and I had a look along and saw him hanging over the edge. I tried talking to him but he was not responding, he was just crying.

"His feet were on a drainpipe which was coming away from the roof."

The officers got a rescue rope from the car and PC Illingworth said PC Adams tied it around himself and he wrapped it around his wrist, leaving a loop to put on the man.

PC Illingworth said: "It sounds somewhat heroic but you just do it. I approached the man and put the loop on his left wrist and he just let go.

"I grabbed hold of him by the scruff of the neck and pinned his left arm against the coping stones and then I used my other arm to reach down and grab the back of his trousers and pull him back on the roof. If I hadn't he would have been dead."

Below the factory is the River Irwell, fast-flowing because of the heavy rain. The river bottom is also full of rocks.

PC Illingworth said: "The man was shaking like a leaf. I stayed with him on the building until the fire brigade arrived to help him down."

He added: "It was a very good team effort between all the emergency services and everybody supported everyone else.

"When you see someone in that position and he is not responding, you have to do something. I couldn't just stand there doing nothing."

Sometimes you just have to push the boat out."

The man was taken to hospital with mild hypothermia, shock and minor injuries.