A lighthouse keeper and a member of the public turned heroes after a man threatened to jump from the top of Gibbs Hill Lighthouse.

The two talked to the 58-year-old man until police negotiators arrived at the Southampton landmark and talked him down from the 117ft-high structure.

A police spokesman thanked the lighthouse keeper and the member of the public who assisted for their “prompt and brave action”.

The spokesman said: “The lighthouse keeper and a member of the public intervened until police officers arrived on the scene a short time later, with police negotiators eventually getting the man to come down from the lighthouse without incident.

“He was then taken to King Edward VII Memorial Hospital for medical assessment.”

The incident at about 3pm on Wednesday was not the first of its kind.

In December 2015, a 72-year-old man died after falling from the top of the lighthouse. Police were unable to confirm if the incident was an accident or if the person had jumped.