THIS IS the dramatic moment when a Winchester police officer saved the life of a woman threatening to jump from a multi-storey car park.

The woman had been sitting on the parapet of Friarsgate car park for nearly an hour-and-a-half before she was grabbed by Chief Inspector Robin Jarman.

Crowds gathered 60ft below and watched as the woman was rescued by the policeman.

The incident caused traffic delays in the city centre yesterday afternoon with tailbacks of nearly half-a-mile after the police shut Friarsgate.

Traffic was diverted across Middle Brook Street car park when the incident started at 1.40pm.

Chief Insp Jarman had gently spoken to the woman after replacing fellow policeman PC David Wheatstone.

The woman, who has not been named, was believed to be a mother of two in her 20s and upset about matrimonial problems.

Police took her to North Walls police station but declined to say what action they were taking.

Emergency services were called to the incident by car park staff who saw a woman climbing over the top-floor wall.

PC Wheatstone was first on the scene to talk to the woman.

Chief Insp Robin Jarman then took over and spoke to her, before scooping her off the wall.

Soon after the end of the incident Friarsgate was reopened immediately after she was rescued and the roadblock was cleared.