A PLEASANT night out with friends had a dramatic conclusion for Pete Mackenzie-Shaw when he grabbed a distressed man threatening to jump into the icy cold River Wye at Hereford early last Friday.

Pete, of Hollybush Walk, has been praised by police for his part in the tense moments that saw the man coaxed to safety.

He grabbed the man's elbow and belt to stop him plunging into the water after they spent nearly an hour with their legs dangling over the Old Wye Bridge near the Saracen's Head.

Pete and two friends, who had earlier been for a night out at the Nell Gwynne pub, were on their way to Hollybush Walk when they reached the bridge at around 1am.

They saw a man balanced precariously on the wall over the water and 28 year-old Pete climbed up to talk to him.

Jump

"At first I thought I'd just walk on by but something in me made me jump on to the wall," said Pete, who is studying for a law degree in Worcester.

"I sat down next to him with legs dangling down. I realised he was not saying it for attention, he was so close to the edge."

While Pete attempted to build a relationship with the distressed man, his friends called the police.

"I was quite lucky to have my two friends with me because they stopped the traffic and passers-by on the road, which made it easier to talk to him."

Pete, who has a seven-year-old daughter, showed the man a picture of his little girl and the man responded with a snap of his own child.

The pair shared a cigarette and Pete passed on messages to the police.

At crisis point, Pete said, the man had his elbows on the wall and the rest of him was dangling over the edge.

"He shouted 'I'm going to go' and as he left I caught hold of his elbow and grabbed hold of his belt to haul him back.

"It was quite a bit of a shock. I didn't expect him to throw himself off but luckily enough I just grabbed hold of his elbow."

Chief Insp Adam Thomas praised Pete for his quick thinking and actions.

"This man acted calmly and with incredible restraint under the most difficult circumstances and certainly provided the police with vital assistance.

"Because of his actions the incident was resolved safely and speedily and we would like to thank him for all he did."