INVESTIGATIONS are continuing today into how a man plunged to his death, leading to the closure of one of Southampton’s busiest routes.

Parts of the city centre were left largely gridlocked yesterday as the Itchen Bridge closed while detectives probed what they thought was a suspicious death.

The major route through the city was closed throughout the morning rush hour after a man died after falling from the centre of the bridge.

The death of the man, believed to be in his 20s or 30s, had initially been treated as suspicious due to injuries on his body.

But, after a major investigation, officers concluded that the injuries were self-inflicted.

As a result, the bridge, which had been closed since midnight, was eventually reopened by midday.

The closure of the bridge to traffic, cyclists and pedestrians caused major gridlock around the city centre and Woolston throughout yesterday morning.

Police were called to the bridge just after midnight after reports that a man had fallen from it and into the water.

With help from HM Coastguard, the man was retrieved from the water almost 40 minutes later and was taken to Southampton Docks by Calshot Lifeboat.

On arrival he was handed to paramedics from South Central Ambulance Service, who took him to Southampton General Hospital, but despite attempts to revive him, he was pronounced dead at 1.29am.

Police launched an investigation which was described as “complicated” because of some of the injuries to his body, leading them to believe that the death was suspicious.

The man has not yet been identified, as next-of-kin were being informed yesterday. A file has been passed to the coroner.

Hampshire police have thanked everyone for their patience while the investigation was carried out.

Officers would still like to hear from anyone who was in the area at the time of the incident and saw a lone man on the bridge, or was on the Itchen Bridge between 11.30pm and 1am.

Anyone with information should call Bitterne CID on 101.