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Six suicidal people were saved from a city’s quays in just one week, it has emerged.

Marine rescue volunteers, gardai and members of the public came to the aid of the distressed men and women.

Waterford Marine Search and Rescue has called for urgent action to tackle the crisis after the incidents between July 15 and 22.

Volunteer Declan Barry, whose colleagues attended on each occasion, said: “The numbers are frightening.

“It’s getting to the point now where there are people contemplating taking their own lives every week in Waterford.

“The numbers last week, and the way in which all of the incidents unfolded, were severe but not isolated. Something needs to be done – and urgently.”

The first incident took place at around 1am on July 15.

A WMSR patrol found a visibly distraught woman, in her early 20s, on the quayside. Dave Hearne said she was trying to get access to the marina. He added: “When we asked what she was doing she replied she wanted to end her life tonight.”

She repeatedly said she had a history of mental health issues and “wasn’t getting the help she needed”.

Mr Hearne added: “The woman said she had rung [a named mental health support group] and was told there was a huge waiting list and she wouldn’t be seen for a few weeks.”

Emergency services brought her to University Hospital Waterford.

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On July 19 at 10am gardai were called to the bridge, where a man was threatening to jump.

Before any additional rescue services were called they managed to grab him and brought him back over the railing to safety.

The following day at 6.15pm manager of The Reg bar Donal O’Brien saw a 15-year-old girl sitting on a pillar at Adelphi Wharf, facing the river, in a state of distress.

Mr O’Brien told the sobbing teenager any problem could be resolved by talking it through and she was later safely removed and brought to hospital.

On July 21, Tramore man Neil Kelly spotted a man in his 50s or early 60s on the bridge as he was crossing. Mr Kelly asked him if he wanted to talk and a short time later the WMSR rescue boat appeared on the river and he received medical attention.

Last Saturday at 9.30pm the owner of the Olive Tree tapas restaurant Trevor Prendergast was stopped in traffic outside a hotel when he saw a male person jump off the bridge.

Despite the man screaming he did not want a life buoy an off-duty guard from New Ross in Co Wexford threw one in.

Mr Prendergast said: “He didn’t want the buoy but when it got caught in the current he obviously changed his mind and took the decision to grab it.”

Emergency services had received a call and raced to the scene. The man was saved and taken to hospital by gardai.

Later that night WMSR volunteers encountered a man, in a distressed and dehydrated state, on the Plaza who said he was going to take his own life.

Volunteers rang the Garda and Waterford Ambulance Service who said they would take him to get treatment.