Guardian angel

JOE to the rescue . . . Joe Rhoden on the bridge where he stopped a second woman from jumping

Hero Joe saves second woman from bridge leap
A GUARDIAN angel has twice leapt to the rescue of suicidal women threatening to jump off the same bridge.

Joe Rhoden has proved himself a double life-saver after remarkably being in the right place at the right time to pull the troubled individuals back from the brink.

The latest emergency happened when the 20-year-old spotted a woman in her late 20s about to leap to her death from the Hollins Road bridge which crosses over the M60 in Hollinwood.

He managed to talk the woman away and then help her to safety.

The drama unfolded only six months after an identical situation when the student was again driving past the bridge.

That time he managed to grab a woman in her late 30s as she tried to jump.

Joe, from Leegrange Road, Blackley, spotted the latest distressed woman at 8pm on Saturday. He stopped his car to help.

He said: “I asked if she was all right and she was crying badly. She was being hysterical.

“She was very distressed and threatening to jump. I thought ‘oh no’ but whatever I was saying started to register.”

Joe talked about her troubles and was able to calm her down before offering his hand and then lifting her back on to the safe side of the bridge.

He offered her a lift home but she declined and then wandered across Hollins Road without looking, leaving Joe still fearing for her safety.

While he was calling the police, he flagged down a passing patrol car.

More police cars and an ambulance quickly arrived and took the woman to hospital.

Joe first performed his heroics in October, last year. He was again passing the bridge when he saw a woman about to jump.

He added: “She was hanging off. She had one foot off about to go down. I don’t know how I managed to get to her.

“I can’t remember what I said or how fast I moved but I said something, she turned her head round and I grabbed her.”

Police saw the incident on CCTV as Joe helped the woman home.

He remained cool-headed both times, saying: “I tried not to let it get to me as it was such a serious situation.”

But Joe remained modest about his achievements. He said: “It’s really shocking to me that I did it again. I hope people aren’t going to rely on me!”

He is studying media production at Salford University but joked: “Maybe I should have studied psychology. I might be good at what I said.”

Spookily, both times strange things happened to send Joe to the right spot.

On Saturday, he was at his parents’ home in Higher Lime Road, Limeside, chatting to his dad when he heard a knock on the door but there was no-one there.

He decided to head off home and minutes later went past the bridge.

The first time his then partner decided she wanted to go home, despite normally settling down to watch “Coronation Street” with him. Driving her back took him past the same spot.

Joe said: “Both times it was weird. It’s given me something to think about.”

Proud mum Colleen Rhoden said: “He’s like an angel.

“I think someone needs to train him to be a Samaritan. It’s good his bravery has been recognised.”

The bridge has become a notorious spot for attempted suicides. The Chronicle revealed in January how hardy police officers spent seven hours in the freezing cold talking down a suicidal man.