A man was last night prevented from jumping from the same bridge where a woman leapt to her death two weeks ago.

Police and ambulance crews were called to the bridge along the A406 north cicrular between the Crooked Billet roundabout and the Cooks Ferry interchange just before 9pm.

Following reports of a person on a bridge, London Ambulance Service sent a crew, duty officer and a hazardous area response team.

Traffic came to a standstill as both lanes on the dual carriageway were closed by police.

An eyewitness stuck in traffic saw the man on the bridge.

He said: "He was on the wrong side of the rails, then he came back on to the footpath and was pacing up and down for about half an hour, as if contemplating what he was about to do. 

"The person then lit a cigarette, sat down and the police took him away."

Police have confirmed the man was brought down by police and detained. The incident was stood down just before 10pm and the road re-opened.

Police have not released the age of the man.  

Zeba Begum, 27, of Greenham Crescent in Chingford is getting increasingly worried about the safeguarding of the bridge.

"Ever since that incident where the woman jumped, something has to be done. Whatever it is, caging, CCTV, police patrols, it needs to be done as soon as possible.

"I'm worried this bridge is going to become a place for distressed to come and contemplate taking their own life."

Elif Orman, 29, of Tottenham, North London, jumped off the Chingford bridge on February 17 and was pronounced dead at the scene. Ms Orman, believed to be suffering from depression, left behind an 11-year-old son and was due to get married.