Heart-stopping moment I came across woman preparing to throw herself off M6 bridge - Jenny Amphlett
She was perched on top of the railings – one of her legs dangling down towards the carriageway
Jenny AmphlettHead of Events and Special Publications
Anyone in emotional distress can call The Samaritans for support 24 hours a day on 08457 909090.
It was an ordinary afternoon last month. I was travelling along a country lane with my mum and young daughter in the car.
Then something extraordinary happened.
We drove past what looked like a young woman about to throw herself over the side of a bridge on to the M6 motorway.
She was perched on top of the railings – one of her legs dangling down towards the carriageway.
We all saw her. "What if she loses her shoe?" my six-year-old worried. "What if she doesn't have her shoe?"
I stopped the car, reversed and parked a short distance away.
Leaving my mum with a mobile phone in case she needed to dial 999, I got out of the car.
If I sound brave, I wasn't feeling it. If I sound like I knew what I was doing, I really didn't.
I wasn't really feeling anything.
It was genuinely one of those incidents that involves no thought, or time to think, until afterwards.
I walked over to the girl, instinctively trying not to get too close or to attempt to touch her.
"Are you okay?" I asked, stupidly. Clearly she wasn't. I could see people driving at 70 miles per hour along the M6 looking up at her.
That must have been absolutely terrifying for both the girl and passing motorists.
There's probably some sort of protocol for what to do in situations like this. It's probably the exact opposite to what I was doing.
"Can I help you?" I said. I repeated that a few times until she acknowledged me.
Then I told her my name and asked her what her name was.
Then I just told her to get down from the railings, to come over to stand with me. And, mercifully, she did.
I saw her face for the first time then. She was young and pretty, but her eyes were completely blank and vacant.
She was very obedient. She did exactly what I told her and answered my questions, albeit in monosyllables.
I don't want to risk identifying the young lady, so I'm not going to say exactly where on the motorway this incident happened, exactly when it happened, or give any more details about her.
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What I will say is that she was very young, alone, and – in that moment – was feeling incredibly sad.
I persuaded her to get into my car, which immediately felt a lot safer to me, and started to drive her home.
She didn't have family or friends who I could call to be with her, but she was able to give me a number for a support worker so that I could alert him.
I felt absolutely terrible leaving her. I put my arm around her and told her not to go back to that bridge, to think about her family and friends.
I told her that nothing was worth ending her life for.
I've worried about her almost constantly since that day – even though I know little more than her first name.
I was in two minds about sharing this experience. I would never want to do anything to identify or embarrass the young lady in question.
I certainly don't need anyone to say 'well done'.
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I've written about this experience because it has genuinely moved me. I've written about it because Sentinel journalists report on incidents like this with alarming regularity.
But mostly I've written about it because perhaps, by sharing this story, it might help someone else.
Sometimes we all feel alone. But I would like to think there is always someone who cares – even if it's just a stranger driving past in their car.
If we look around, there are probably ways that we can all help one another out every single day of the week.
Because, occasionally, we all need an arm round the shoulder. I know I do.
I like to think that no-one would have driven past that young woman without stopping to try to do something to help.
• Anyone in emotional distress can call The Samaritans for support 24 hours a day on 08457 909090.
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