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A rugby player clung on to a woman for more than an hour after she threatened to jump off a bridge.

Heroic Michael Owen held the woman's hand as he tried to stop her plunging onto a busy motorway.

The brave 22-year-old was travelling with girlfriend Jemma when they noticed the distressed woman standing on the edge of a bridge near Chippenham, Wilts.

The woman had jumped over the bridge's safety railings and was facing the busy M4 motorway below.

(Image: Wales News Service)

The 6ft 5ins bouncer said: "We were driving over the bridge when my partner pointed out a woman standing on the other side of the bridge.

"I immediately pulled over to try and slow down the traffic and to help her.

"I got to her and started talking to her. She was clearly very upset, so I just talked about anything I could think of with her."

Michael said the "clearly upset" woman immediately seemed to calm down after hearing his broad Welsh accent.

He made sure he held on to her hand to make sure she didn't slip, despite having broken his hand playing rugby.

Two fire engines were soon on the scene, but Michael stayed with the woman for more than an hour as she was too scared to climb down.

Michael said: "We waited a good hour, because she was too frightened to go down a ladder, so they needed to bring out a second engine.

"The police closed off the road and parked a lorry underneath the bridge, just in case she fell off."

(Image: Dimitris Legakis/Athena Picture Agency Ltd)

Back home in Cwmavon, South Wales, Michael's sister, Sarah, said she couldn't be prouder.

Sarah said: "I am just so proud of him for his actions, I could just burst with pride, and I know the entire family could too.

"He has an amazing personality and a huge heart, which is evident from his actions here."

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