Stunned motorists waited anxiously as police locked down one side of the Orwell Bridge tonight for negotiators to talk down a man threatening to jump.
The westbound carriageway was blocked off after officers arrived at the scene in response to panicked calls from the public shortly after 9.20pm.
Vehicles heading towards Felixstowe were halted at the foot of the bridge but some watched as the drama unfolded before police arrived.
Critical negotiations soon began with the man - 23-year-old from the Ipswich area - who at one point clambered onto the ledge of the bridge and threatened to jump.
Police said he was eventually persuaded to come down without force and taken to hospital. A spokesman said: “Police attended and closed the carriageway for negotiations to take place with the man. He was detained and taken to hospital.”
The bridge had reopened and traffic had returned to normal by 10pm.
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