A passer-by helped save the life of a woman threatening to jump on Sunday night, and now police are appealing for him to come forward so they can thank him. 

In the early hours of May 8, two police officers, PC Emma Veljoiv and PC Dan Reynolds, responded to calls about a missing woman.

The two officers knew she had been found on a bridge earlier in the week, threatening to jump, and were also told she had tried to take her life earlier in the same day.

As PC Reynolds drove to Putney Bridge, PC Veljovic was able to speak to the woman on her phone and they found she was at a bridge in Barnes. 

PC Veljovic continued to speak to her, calming her down and gaining her confidence.

The officers arrived at Barnes Bridge but could not find her.

They asked her to shout out so that they could more easily locate her.

Meanwhile, a member of public heard her shouts and went to her. As she was so upset, PC Veljovic found it difficult to understand her.

PC Veljovic asked her to hand the phone to the member of public, who was able to inform the officers that she was on Barnes railway bridge, not Barnes Bridge over the River Thames.

After getting to the bridge, PC Veljovic and PC Reynolds were able to talk her down. 

PC Veljovic said: "We asked the female to shout to assist us in finding her. A member of public heard her call for help and we managed to speak to him.

"A short time later we found the female sitting on a ledge directly above the railway lines. Having already built up a rapport with her over the phone, we were able to talk her down.

"I was aware this woman had tried to take her life earlier in the day and had been found on a bridge the week before and I was very concerned for her welfare.

"My priority was to calm her down on the phone and find out where she was, I am very pleased we were able to locate the female before she came to any harm."

PC Reynolds said: "We were made aware that the female was a very high risk of suicide. Information had shown that she had tried to take her own life a few days ago and again earlier that day.

"My initial thoughts were to go to Putney Bridge as this was the nearest bridge over the Thames to where she had gone missing from.

"I told Emma to try and make contact with the female on her mobile. She eventually answered.

"Emma started to build a rapport with her. She was sympathetic, understanding and did not pressurize the female. She gave us the wrong location at first of Barnes Bridge but with the help of the member of the public we were able to discover that it was Barnes Railway Bridge.

"Once there we managed to safely talk the female down."

Inspector Paul Maginnis said: "This was an excellent bit of work by Dan and Emma. Both showed great initiative in trying to locate and build a relationship with the woman who was in some considerable distress and very vulnerable. We’d also like to thank the passer by, who undoubtedly was instrumental in helping the lady.

"Unfortunately, he left the scene before the officers were able to get his details or even say ‘thank you’. If you are that passer by, or you know who he is, please get in touch so we can say thanks."