TENSE: A police negotiator talks to the woman as she sits precariously on the edge of the motorway bridge while clinging on to a support with her left arm

THE M65 was closed for two hours tonight while police negotiators spoke to a distressed woman who was sat on the edge of a motorway bridge.

Police were called to the bridge at junction five, Guide, shortly after 5pm amid fears the woman might jump.

After lengthy discussions with a specialist police negotiator, the woman, 36, who is believed to be from Padiham, was pulled back over the railings shortly after 7pm.

As she set foot on the pavement, several police officers raced to her side and ushered her in to a waiting police van.

She was then taken to the Royal Blackburn Hospital.

Officers were later expected to question the woman.

Police closed a stretch of motorway underneath the bridge and filtered traffic up the slip roads at either side to avoid any traffic passing beneath the woman.

Rush hour commuters faced long delays, with traffic on both sides stretching back for several miles.

Surrounding A-roads were also brought to a standstill and drivers coming off Grane Road back in to Blackburn faced lengthy queues.

One driver who was caught up in the chaos said: "I could see her legs dangling over the side of the bridge and her left arm was wrapped round the railings as she tried to stop herself from falling.

"Another woman was stood near to her beckoning her to come down from the edge.

"Cars that had already passed the slip road were being made to do a u-turn by police in order for them to come off the motorway and not go near the woman."

A police spokesman said: "The motorway reopened at 7.10pm and the woman was then taken to hospital.

"She was in a distressed state on the bridge and we were forced to close the motorway in both directions."

7:31pm Wednesday 26th March 2008

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