A KENDAL truck driver was on hand in an emergency as he parked his vehicle under a bridge that a teenager was threatening to jump from.

Tom Birkett praised the police officers who eventually dissuaded the distressed youngster from harming himself.

"They somehow managed to walk this fine balance between keeping up spirits, having a bit of a laugh with each other, keeping morale up, but also being serious," he said.

"It was impressive to watch them.

"But these are just people doing this job."

Mr Birkett, 35, had positioned his vehicle - which had a soft-top tipper with a tarpaulin over it - across the hard shoulder and the first lane of the M62.

From his vantage point in the HGV, he had noticed the blue emergency lights and the unfolding situation, which occurred near Warrington, from a considerable distance away.