Police talk woman out of 'jump'

The area around the building was cordoned off while talks went on

Police negotiators have convinced a woman not to jump from the top floor of a six-storey building in West Sussex.

Two specialist officers spent three-and-a-half hours talking to the woman before she agreed to come down from the building in Three Bridges, near Crawley.

The woman had apparently been threatening to jump from a window on the top floor of the office building where she had starting working a few days ago.

Police said she had been detained under the Mental Health Act for psychiatric assessment.

Pulled to safety

Sussex Police were called to the offices of pensions administration firm Hogg Robinson Paymaster in Russell Way, just before 1500 BST.

The area was cordoned off and traffic directed away while two specialist negotiators went into the building.

Firefighters and ambulance crews were also called to the scene and waited on standby.

Police said the incident successfully concluded at 1830 BST when one of the negotiators pulled the woman to safety.

Acting Chief Inspector Geoff Charnock said: "Officers were able to liaise with staff who had already started negotiations.

"Once the area was secured police negotiators were called in, it was then a case of trying to negotiate her back into the building.

"She allowed one of the negotiators close to her and when given the opportunity he was able to grab hold of her and bring her back into the building.

"Physically she is in good shape but obviously is now in need of some care."