Off-duty police dispatchers rescue 'distressed' missing woman from motorway bridge during their break

Two off-duty police radio dispatchers rescued a missing woman from a motorway bridge after driving past whilst on their break. Sophie Manley and Terry Boughton, who work in GMP's Tameside district, had been travelling on Lord Sheldon Way in Ashton-under-Lyne near the M60 when they spotted the woman in a "distressed" state.

The woman had previously been reported missing from home before the two colleagues spotted her at around 8.40pm last Friday night (May 13).

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As Terry stopped the car, Sophie went to speak to the woman, using her police training to convince her to come down to safety. The pair looked after the woman until officers arrived at the scene.

Sophie, who has been with GMP for about six years, said: "We were on our break and driving past when we saw the woman on the bridge. Terry stopped the car and I went to talk to her, and sat with her on the bridge.

"I managed to convince her to come down and get into the car, and then the officers turned up to take over. I am just pleased to have helped keep the woman safe.

"The training we do at GMP really helped me to stay calm - we are used to dealing with situations like this in our day-to-day job but this was the first time I have done it in person." The pair have now been put forward for an internal GMP award.

Chief Superintendent Chris Gibson said: "Sophie and Terry talked to the lady, who was clearly distressed, and managed to coax her away from the bridge and into their car, thus protecting a vulnerable member of the community from harm.

"A divisional patrol attended and took over the care for the lady but without the swift action of Sophie and Terry the outcome could have been different. I