TRAFFIC came to a standstill along the A666 into Bolton after a man was seen hanging precariously from a bridge over the dual carriageway.

Eyewitnesses described the man being held onto the A579 Bradford Road bridge over St Peter’s Way by police officers, while he clung to a mobile phone in the other hand.

Traffic came to a standstill on the A666 heading into Bolton during the incident.

Traffic has now returned to normal.

Eyewitness, Sarah Yates, was travelling along the A666 from the Bradford Street bridge sliproad heading south when she noticed the incident unfolding.

“He was being held onto the bridge by police. In the other hand he was on the phone," she said.

“His legs were hanging down and he was just about gripped onto the bridge by the way he was sitting.

“There were a few people around him. The road was closed off coming into Bolton.

“It actually looked like he might have been laughing."

Another witness, Stephanie Nelson, describes the man 'sobbing loudly' on the phone while a female police officer clung onto his other arm.

On Facebook, eyewitness Kaylie Louise Wright added: “Please be careful if you drive near St Peter's Way.

"There's a man threatening to jump off the bridge. He is on the other side of the barrier. Blokes got hold of him and there is a police officer there trying to talk him out of it.”

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