A Hampshire motorist has been hailed a hero when he dived to save a woman plunging from a motorway bridge.

The drama happened when driver Steve Hayden spotted the woman standing by a bridge over the M27.

Thinking something may be wrong the IT consultant pulled his white Vauxhall Corsa van over to the side of the road.

The 48-year-old then ran back to the scene on the Allington Lane bridge, around 20ft over the busy motorway.

But as he got near woman - who had 'Justice for Mums' scrawled on her face – climbed over the barrier and on to the edge of the bridge.

Launching himself towards the woman, Mr Hayden managed to get hold of her coat and arm just before she could plummet into the traffic.

he then struggled to get her back onto the bridge and calmed her down with the help of six other drivers who pulled over to help.

Mr Hayden said: “As I pulled up she went over the barrier, it was a scary situation, it shook me up.

“As soon as she started going over the barrier I ran up to her and grabbed her and pulled her over.”

He added: “She wasn’t happy about it but she quickly calmed down.

“I don’t know if she was going to jump or not, or if she was there to protest - she didn’t seem to know herself.

“She was saying nobody would care about her if she died but I said there are six cars that care enough to pull over to help and they don’t know you from Adam.”

Mr Hayden’s wife, Eleanor May-Johnson, 44, said: “They had a conversation about his band, he sings in an REM tribute band and he told her you should come and see us play, it’s not that bad.”

Ms May-Johnson, a midwife, added: “I feel that what he has done is amazing. I’m really proud of him because thousands of other people would have just driven passed.”

A spokesman for Hampshire Police confirmed that six police officers attended the scene after they received the call at 12.50pm on Friday.

They said: “A member of the public talked the woman back from over the barrier. Their partner was called and took her to get assistance.”

By Felix Morris