Neighbours tell of heartbreak of father who dropped child 30ft off bridge over River Tonge in apparent attempted murder-suicide in Astley Bridge, Bolton

It has emerged that the man’s partner and baby had died a few years ago.

Emergency services rescued a three-year-old girl and the 39-year-old man from the River Tonge on Saturday night.

The girl suffered a broken wrist and the man suffered minor injuries, said police.

A man rescued from the River Tonge with police at Cineworld car park, The Valley, on Saturday night

Yesterday neighbours revealed that a man had suffered the tragedy of bereavement. The baby died in 2013 and it is understood that his partner, the mother of his two young children, died the following year.

Neighbours said that he was friendly and happy, but in the last week had not been himself.

One neighbour and friend, who asked not to be named said: "He had lost his girlfriend, the mother of his two young children. Their little baby died, and I don't know if it is the anniversary coming up.

“The baby died first and it was a shock, they were heartbroken.

"The mum died a year after around about the same time. She was just found dead.

"As a street we did try and support him, people would try and help him out.

"We have all said around here he has coped so well. He has got family but I have never seen them.

"I said to my boyfriend that he has not got any support, he has got us, but I'm sure he probably wouldn't ask. He has asked if will mind the children if he nips to the shop.”

The 32-year-old has known the man since she moved into Le Gendre Street in Tonge Moor five years ago.

She said: "I have been angry, I have been in tears."

The neighbour said that on the day of the incident she had seen the family out and about, and saw the boy come home alone at around 7pm and the door was unlocked.

The man’s girlfriend who lives out of the area arrived shortly afterwards.

The neighbour said: “If I knew the boy was on his own I would have got him, it was about 7pm, it was just going dark. I nipped out for tea and as I came back the girlfriend was here.

"I asked if she was all right and she said 'no' and she said it was Damian, and asked if I had seen him. I thought it was not like him, he is always with his kids. She said the boy was getting upset because he didn’t know where his dad was.

"He is always in the house and with the kids. He does play out with the kids in the street. He has not really been out this week."

She added: “He is friendly and always talks to the younger kids in the street who were playing, he would play football with them. The kids were looked after, he loved his kids."

Last night police said that a man arrested on suspicion of attempted murder had been released under investigation.