‘Heroic’ lorry driver parks under M62 bridge to stop man from jumping

A driver has been hailed a hero after he parked his lorry underneath a motorway bridge where a man was threatening to jump.

In a distressing image released by Vulnerable Citizen Support Leeds yesterday, a man could be seen sitting on the edge of the railing of the bridge, located down the M62.

But luckily, when an approaching lorry driver became aware of the situation, their vehicle was moved onto the hard shoulder and parked directly underneath the part of the bridge where the man was sitting, ultimately preventing him from jumping, Leeds Live reported.

David Dixon / Geograph

The vehicle remained stationary in that position until the man was safely escorted off the bridge.

Vulnerable Citizen Support Leeds, a community that provides help and assistance to those struggling with mental health issues and homelessness, shared the harrowing image onto Facebook, writing: “IT’S OKAY – NOT TO BE OKAY.

“This is a picture from the M62 Motorway Bridge – a passerby has posted it to raise awareness of the situation at hand.

“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 what’s next……..?

Vulnerable Citizen Support Leeds / Facebook

“I have family who have been at this point before and still had to wait a week for an appointment when she found herself on top of a bridge – this post is to raise that awareness that – IT’S OKAY – NOT TO BE OKAY – and you can or should speak out.

“What a trucker – 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.”

The man’s current situation is unclear, though it is known he was taken in by the police following the incident.

If you or anyone you know has been suffering with mental health issues, you can call the Samaritans at 116 123, or CALM at 0800 58 58 58. Alternatively, you can find local mental health services and more info here.