TWO passers-by who stopped a man jumping off a motorway bridge have been praised by police.

Nightclub owner Reg Howe and judo champ Roland Newson risked their own lives to prevent the 52-year-old local man from taking his own life.

Mr Howe kept the man talking while waiting for the police to arrive, while judo expert Mr Newson used his martial arts skills to "judo throw" him to safety.

The man was trying to leap on to the M40 from the bridge between Twyford and Kings Sutton in the early hours of Sunday.

Mr Howe, the owner of Confessions in South Bar, was first on the scene.

He said: "I was driving home to Kings Sutton at about 3am when I saw this guy with one leg over the bridge railings.

"I stopped and tried to talk him out of it. The motorway was still busy and I was worried both for his own safety and for drivers on the road below.

"I was talking to him and calling the police at the same time, then another car stopped and a guy who said he was a judo expert came to help. I kept talking and after ten minutes or so the other guy managed to pull the man to safety."

The other man was Roland Newson, a former Banbury hairdresser who now lives in France and was back in Banbury to visit his parents.

He said: "I passed two people on the bridge, one with a bottle of whisky and looking as though he was trying to jump.

"I turned around and went back, and the man I now know as Reg explained the situation. I decided to use my judo skills if the chance came. Reg kept him talking and I waited for an opportunity to grab the man and pull him back.

"The man had a Walkman and one of the earpieces came out and distracted him. As he looked down, I caught his arm and judo-threw him to safety."

"A few minutes later the police arrived."

Tim Wiseman, spokesman for Thames Valley Police, said: "The suicide attempt man had been reported missing from home about 20 minutes before we received the call from Mr Howe.

"Mr Howe and Mr Newson acted bravely and no doubt saved the man's life. They also prevented a possible tragedy on the M40."

The man was taken to the Horton Hospital, Banbury.