A TEENAGE girl was dragged from the railings of a Southampton bridge after a motorist jumped out of his car in fear for her safety.

The 18-year-old girl, who has not been identified, was also helped down by a passer-by before being escorted to a “safe place” by police officers.

Speaking to the Echo, the 54-year-old motorist who spotted the teen while driving across the Itchen Bridge said he “noticed people pushing and shoving” on the bridge at around 10am.

He then quickly stopped his car and assisted the other man in “restraining” the girl before they contacted the police.

An off-duty police officer is also reported to have been at the scene.

The motorist, who asked not to be named, said: “I was taking my car to the garage when I noticed people pushing and shoving.

“I soon realised he was trying to stop her. I pulled over, jumped out the car and grabbed her.

“He was really struggling to keep her back, we rang the police and just held her.”

The man, from Hythe, added: “She didn’t say much. We just kept telling her ‘there’s no need to do that, you don’t need to go in there’ but she kept struggling.”

A spokesperson from Hampshire Constabulary said: “We were called at 10am on January 29 following concerns for the welfare of a woman on the Itchen Bridge. An 18-year-old woman was detained under the Mental Health Act.”

It is not known what happened to the girl following the incident.

This comes just four months after a man suffered serious injuries in a fall from the bridge.

He was pulled from the Itchen River after falling.

Several members from the emergency services attended to help the man from the water. He was then treated and assessed at the scene, before being rushed to Southampton General Hospital for treatment.

On Thursday a 17-year-old girl was in a serious condition after being pulled from the water near the bridge. A spokesperson for Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service said the woman was rescued by a canoeist.

And on Sunday another woman was taken into care by emergency services after being spotted on the railings of the bridge.