A Gateshead cabbie has told of how he stopped a teen male from taking his own life at Tyne Bridge.
Taxi driver, Dave Smith, picked up the 19 year old boy in the early hours of Wednesday the 9th of March. The boy asked Dave to stop at Tyne Bridge where his friend was waiting with cash to pay for the journey.
Runaway Taxi Fare Suspicions
Dave stopped the taxi at the end of the bridge; the boy then got out of the cab and said he would be back in a minute. Dave waited for him to return with his money for around five minutes before he started to have his suspicions that it could be another runaway fare.
Dave said: “Throughout the journey he was complaining about his father but was otherwise in good spirits.
“I was starting to get concerned that he’d run away without paying so I drove back over the bridge.”
Heroic Actions
Dave soon realised that it wasn’t a case of a runaway fare but something much more serious.
He commented: “As I crossed the bridge, I spotted the silhouette of him. I noticed he was sat straddled over the railings of the Tyne Bridge looking distraught.”
Dave’s first instinct was intervene and to try to talk the boy down. He continued: “I approached the boy but when he spotted me he immediately threw his other leg over the railing ready to jump.
“I just ran over and grabbed his leg. I told him that if he was to jump then it wouldn’t be fair on me because I’d have to watch someone die. It seemed to be working as he stopped struggling.”
Success
Although the boy was much calmer and in less distress, Dave knew it would still be difficult to coax him back over the railings safely so decided to call in for some help.
“After holding him by the leg for what seemed like an hour and after a few struggles, to get his leg free, I told him I would have to phone for help because I didn’t want to hurt him by pulling him down.
“I managed to call the police without letting go of his leg. They arrived quickly and seeing that I had a hold of his leg they were able to pull him back over to safety. The lad thanked me.”