Police have revealed it was a woman who was was talked down from the A316 footbridge in Twickenham, last night - not a man as previously reported.

The woman believed to be in her mid 20s was extremely distressed and threatened to jump, at around 7pm, on the busy road.

Officers managed to talk the woman down from the bridge and she was led to safety.

However the incident led to the closure of Chertsey Road and heavy traffic and delays in Whitton and Twickenham.

A police spokeswoman said: "We were called at approximately 7pm on July 2 to reports of a woman who appeared to be in distress on the A316 footbridge.

"Officers temporarily closed the road whilst the woman, who is in her mid 20's, was taken to safety.

"The incident was stood down at 21:30hrs."

Last month Virgin Media and its contractor McNicholas were both fined for causing huge tailbacks on the A316 due to unfinished roadworks.