A desperate young woman who threatened to throw herself from a bridge on to West Cepen Way in Chippenham was talked out of attempted suicide by two police officers.

PC Bill Monk and PC David Ibbott, members of the Armed Response Unit based in Devizes, were driving into Chippenham late on Sunday night.

They were notified a woman was standing on the bridge 30ft above the bypass, near Chippenham Rugby Club.

She had called police on her mobile phone to tell them she intended to jump.

The two officers spotted a car parked on the northbound carriageway and climbed onto the bridge.

"We saw a young woman on top of the bridge behind the railings, and she was very distressed," said PC Ibbott, who lives in Melksham.

"Bill engaged her in conversation and I walked up to stand behind her. He was talking for about 10 minutes when she decided to come down.

"Sometimes when people feel they have no-one to listen to them we are a last resort. It's very sad." The 25-year-old Swindon woman was taken to Chippenham police station, and is now staying with family outside the area.