A MAN was arrested today after threatening to jump off a bridge into the icy cold River Ouse.

Trained police negotiators spent more than an hour trying to talk the man out of jumping off a ledge in the middle of Ouse Bridge, in York.

Police kept the road open throughout and shoppers were told to use the footpath on the other side of the bridge.

Bystanders watched as the man finally climbed back over the parapet where he was arrested and taken to York police station.

Detective Inspector Alan Carey, from York CID, was called to the scene to help talk the man down.

He said: "In the end he got down safely which is a huge relief to everyone concerned, including the man's friends and family.

"The man appeared to have some problems and I hope he can now get the help he needs to sort things out."

Sgt Dave Horn, of York Police, said: "If he'd have jumped it could have caused a lot of problems, but as it was it was a good result.

"It was a great relief - I like it when people can walk away from these situations, because it could have been so much worse."

Fire crews were on stand-by waiting out of sight by Skeldergate Bridge in a rescue boat ready to drag the man from the water if necessary.

Station officer Carl Vinand said: "It would have been our job to fish him out if he'd have gone through with it. With the weather being as it has been we'd have had to get him out pretty quickly and get him off to hospital to stop him getting hyperthermia."

Updated: 14:19 Monday, March 14, 2005