A man threatening to jump from a Southend car park was dramatically rescued by firefighters.

Crews used ropes to lasso the man who was sitting on the edge of the top floor of the Farringdon Road multi-storey and then lifted him onto the aerial ladder platform.

Police called in the brigade after their attempts to persuade the man to retreat from the edge of the building had failed.

Two crews from Southend rushed to the Elmer Approach car park at 4.40am yesterday.

Sub officer Neil Fenwick explained: "One fireman made a lasso out of rope which he threw over the man and secured him.

"Then we raised the aerial ladder platform and took the man off the edge, and lowered him to the ground.There we handed him over to the waiting police who took him away for questioning."

l At the same time firefighters were called to a bin fire at the Sacred Heart RC Primary School in Southend.

A taxi driver had dialled 999 after passing the Southchurch Road school and spotting the flames.

Mr Fenwick said: "Luckily we arrived just in time from stopping the fire reaching the edge of the roof and spreading into the school buildings.

"It could have been much more serious."

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