A man whom bystanders believed was planning to jump from Kew Bridge into the River Thames was rescued by emergency services who used a winch to lower him into a waiting lifeboat.

A police helicopter, fire crews, police and the London Ambulance Service attended the scene just after 10pm last night and a man, described as in his mid-20s by one onlooker, was recovered and taken to hospital before being detained under the Mental Health Act.

A spokesman from Richmond Fire Station said: “We went down into one of the gantries of the bridge and lowered him into the RNLI boat, and they took him to shore.”

One man, who was walking home from Ealing Jazz Festival that evening, said he could hear the noise of the police helicopter’s rotor blades from Ealing Broadway.

He said: “I was walking home along the Great West Road and I could see the red light hovering in the sky for the whole of the 40 minute walk.

“There were loads of people coming out of houses and shops to see what the noise was and to speculate on why the cops were there.”

It is understood the man was safely taken to the shore of the river by about 11.40pm.

A spokeswoman from the Metropolitan Police said: "Police were called at 21.57 hrs on Sunday, 2 August to reports of a man stuck on a ladder after jumping off Kew Bridge.

"Local police attended along with officers from the Marine Policing Unit, the London Fire Brigade and the London Ambulance Unit.

"A man in his 20s was rescued and checked over for injuries at the scene by the London Ambulance Service.

"He was taken to hospital and detained under the Mental Health Act."

A spokesman for the London Ambulance Service said: "We were called at 10.40pm to an incident on Kew Bridge Road in Brentford.

"We sent the hazardous area response team (HART) to the scene.

"We treated a man who was taken to hospital."
 

More to follow.