A MAN with a rope noose around his neck was dragged to safety by police officers after a motorway bridge drama on the outskirts of Bolton today.

The man, who has not been identified, was threatening to throw himself off the motorway bridge at Kearsley island over St Peter's Way.

He climbed over the safety barrier and had tied a rope to fencing before putting a noose around his neck.

Police sealed off the Bolton-bound section of the motorway for more than an hour as Sgt Steve Eastwood and other police officers spoke to the man. They eventually managed to drag him to safety over the barrier.

The drama started at 5am today when the man - who had domestic problems - used his own mobile phone to make a 999 call to the police.

Officers arrived on the scene within minutes and paramedics and a fire crew were put on stand-by a short distance away from the bridge.

Traffic was diverted off St Peter's Way and around the roundabout before rejoining the carriageway.

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