Three people commended after helping woman on A12 bridge

Schoolteacher Nicole Presland and brothers Ben and Dan Thompson were honoured by chief constable Rachel Nolan for their actions on a bridge over the A12 in Braiswick.

The incident took place in January.

Ms Presland was driving back from a friend’s house on a bitterly cold night and passing through Braiswick when she had to swerve to avoid the woman in the road.

She said: "It was about ten o’clock at night and she didn’t react, which I thought was strange. So, I went around the mini roundabout and back and again she still didn’t react when I had my headlights on her.

"Then I followed her for a bit with my hazards so nobody else hit her. I phoned 999 and I told them that she was not reacting, she’s not staggering so she’s not drunk, she’s standing in the middle of my lane. I was worried about her as we were heading towards the A12.

"As we got over the A12, I said, ‘She’s going to the side,’ I pulled over, jumped out of my car and held on to her as she had her leg over the barrier. Then, as I was holding on to her, Ben and Dan pulled up."

The Thompson brothers were returning home from a show at the Mercury Theatre in Colchester when they saw Ms Presland and the woman on the bridge.

Ben Thompson assisted Ms Presland in restraining the woman, while Dan stayed on the phone with police.

Officers closed the road below on the A12.

Ms Presland said: "We were holding her tight, but she still had one leg over the barrier and kept saying, 'Let go of me.'

"I told her that we care about her and told her my name but she didn’t respond.

"While we were holding on to her, a police car came slowly down the A12 and stopped underneath the bridge.

"An officer climbed up to us and took her.

"By then I was getting really tired."

"It felt surreal," said Dan.

He said: "You hear about these things happening, but you never think you’re going to be the person responsible for stopping it.

"It took a while to process."

The trio were invited to the Chief’s House at Essex Police headquarters to receive their commendations.

Chief constable Nolan praised their actions.

She said: "Nicole, Ben and Dan showed exceptional selflessness and courage to step in and help a vulnerable woman.

"Many other people drove past the woman that night.

"It was late, it was dark, and it would have been easy for Nicole, Ben and Dan to do the same, but they didn’t.

"They stopped and helped.

"They did their best to comfort her and when she tried to get to the other side of the railings on the bridge, they clung on to her until the emergency services arrived.

"This took exceptional determination and they reacted in a way that any police officer would be proud of.

"Without their intervention, there could have been a very different end to this story, and it was a privilege to invite them and their loved ones to headquarters to formally recognise their heroism."