POLICE were called to the Orwell Bridge in the early hours of this morning following reports that a girl was peering over the edge.

POLICE were called to the Orwell Bridge in the early hours of this morning following reports that a girl was peering over the edge.

Several passing motorists contacted police at around 2.15am after spotting a teenager walking across the bridge on the eastbound track and looking over the edge.

Officers alerted the coastguard to put them on standby and then arrived at the scene promptly.

The 18-year-old from Ipswich was taken off the bridge and then driven to St Clements Hospital.

A Suffolk Police spokeswoman said: “We had a call from a lorry driver saying there was a girl walking slowly across the bridge and he couldn't see a car she was from. Another caller said she was looking over the edge.

“We sent a couple of units and notified the coastguard to put them on standby. When the units arrived, she was initially going to go to a friend's house but then was taken to St Clements Hospital.”