THREE school friends have been hailed as heroes after talking a pensioner down from the side of a bridge.

Turton School pupils Tegan Houghton, Macey Allred and Josh Greenwood noticed the 79-year-old man on the bridge in fields, known as the Jolly Brows, in Bradshaw Brow, on Friday at around 7pm.

The 13-year-olds spoke to the man to comfort him and then walked him home, where they waited for police to arrive.

Tegan, who lives in Crompton Way, said: “We were really worried, he was crying. He was upset about his wife who had died. We kept talking to him, asking him about the subjects he did at school, what he enjoyed at school.

“We walked him home, which was just round the corner and called the police.”

Macey added: "We just tried to calm him down. He had walked away and said he was going home, but then came back — when we saw him put his legs over the bridge we sprinted over to stop him."

The youngsters' families have since been contacted by the man to thank the three for their actions.

Tegan said: “He lost his wife and is not handling it very well. He was very honest about it, he thanked us and said he hopes that we all have good lives.

"I am just glad nothing happened and we sprinted to him and took him home.”

She added: “We went back to my house and I was a little bit shaky afterwards. My mum is really proud.”

Mum Charli, aged 33, said she knew the three had helped someone, but did not realise the extent of their actions until she was contacted by a police officer.

Mrs Houghton said: “They all came back and were talking, but I didn’t realise the significance of what they had done until I received a phone call, and then it dawned on me.

“The police officer told me the man spoke about the three 13-year-olds caring for him. I was filling up when speaking to the officer. I am so proud of them all. Tegan is very caring. Most young people have a heart of gold.”

PC Laura Cass said: "They did a fantastic job. They kept calm, managed to persuade the gentleman to not do what he was intending, walked him home, and then waited until we got there.

"At their age, to think to do what they did and to care enough to speak to him is absolutely brilliant.

"They may well have saved his life."

Turton School headteacher, Sam Gorse, added: "I am incredibly proud of how these students have responded to such a difficult situation.

"It is a testament to their good character that they firstly bothered to do what they could to help and secondly had the wherewithal to instinctively know what to do.

"You know teenagers can often receive some bad press but in my experience of working with the young people of Turton School, I find that when they come across a difficult or challenging situation like this, they always respond with compassion and helpfulness first and foremost."