A MAN who threatened to throw himself from a busy viaduct was last night rescued by police.

Trained negotiators managed to secure a line around the man, believed to be in his twenties, shortly after 8pm last night before leading him to safety.

Onlookers gathered to watch as the man sat, with his legs dangling over the side of Newton Cap viaduct, Bishop Auckland, County Durham.

Police were called after the man was seen walking along the viaduct ledge at about 2.30pm yesterday.

The usually busy road was immediately closed off as police officers tried to persuade the man to come back over the wall to safety.

Residents living nearby said it was not the first time they had seen people threatening to throw themselves from the viaduct, but so far nobody had done so.