Former security guard Martin Meredith modelled himself on Lethal Weapon star Mel Gibson and talked down a suicidal man about to leap from Oxford's Folly Bridge.

Martin, 26, of Buttercup Square, Blackbird Leys, was walking home during the early hours yesterday when he spotted a depressed 21-year-old about to leap from the parapet of the bridge.

He immediately raced to the man's side, and in an uncanny echo of Mel Gibson's gung-ho cop in the film Lethal Weapon, he told the man: "If you jump, I'll jump with you."

He then ordered passers-by to call the police while he tried to persuade the man not to jump into the Thames.

Shortly afterwards, police arrived and the suicidal man was taken by ambulance to the John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, for a check-up.

Modest Martin, who is currently unemployed, was not available to talk about his heroic actions, but his stepdad Ian East, 42, said: "I think he should get some credit for what he did. "He spoke to the man who was threatening to throw himself off the bridge and, just like Mel Gibson in Lethal Weapon, told him 'If you jump, I'll jump with you'.

"The man then answered back that Martin did not deserve to die and Martin said 'Neither do you'.

"It's quite possible he remembered the Mel Gibson film and it seemed a good way of persuading the man not to throw himself in the river.

"I had a heart attack 18 months ago and Martin was very good to me then. He has had a bit of a chequered career, but I think he should get some recognition for putting himself in danger to help a complete stranger."

Mr East added that the police thanked his step-son by giving him a lift home.

John Lowe, a spokesman for Oxfordshire Ambulance Service, said: "We got a call about 12.40am from Thames Valley Police asking us to attend Folly Bridge.

"There was a 21-year-old man threatening to jump off the bridge but eventually he was persuaded not to take this course of action. We took him to hospital for a check-up."

Thames Valley Police spokesman Duncan McGraw added: "We applaud any member of the public who remains calm and shows bravery in these sitiuations. The actions of Mr Meredith may well have saved the other man's life."

In the film, the cop, played by Mel Gibson, handcuffs himself to a suicidal man on a high ledge, before they both leap off on to an inflatable safety bag below.

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