A HEROIC father has told how he helped persuade a man not to jump from a bridge over St Peter's Way.

Philip Morris was out running when he spotted the man on the wrong side of the railings at the bridge in Bradford Street, near Toys R Us — and he says he just did what anyone else would have done in that situation.

The 41-year-old said at first he did a double take and, after running on slightly, he came back to help the man, who he said was in his late 20s.

Mr Morris, a father of two, said: "I got quite close to him and just asked his name, and told him my name is Phil.

"I couldn't hear much because of the traffic which made it a bit more difficult.

"He just said: 'I've got no one, I just want to die', but I said it can't be that bad.

"I started talking to him but by that time the police were there, and they started to help him.

"He looked like he was at rock bottom. He was very shaky.

"My heart was in my mouth — it doesn't look like a massive drop, but when you see that traffic and the cars underneath, it hits home.

"If he had fallen he would have been a gonner."

Mr Morris, from Great Lever, said it was lucky he was at the scene because he frequently runs different routes — but on Thursday he decided to run through Leverhulme Park and near St Peter's Way.

He has worked at Morrisons in Blackhorse Street for 25 years, and regularly goes out for a run on his day off.

He said: "I certainly didn't expect to be talking someone down from a bridge when I went out for a run.

"I sometimes run up Plodder Lane and other routes, so it was just lucky that I was in the right place at the right time."

Mr Morris is appealing for the man or who anyone knows him to get in touch to let him know how he is doing.

He added: "I just hope he is okay, because he looked really low. It just makes you think.

"I have got a wife and two lovely lads, and I sometimes think I've had a bad day but it is nothing in comparison to that."

At the time, a police spokesman said the man was not hurt and that he was "dealt with appropriately" after the incident.