A heroic stranger talked a grandad out of jumping off a railway bridge by “saying anything I could think of”.

Dan Catlin spent an hour talking the distressed father-of-five down after he spotted him leaning over a crossing in Faversham.

The 40-year-old offered to take the man for a beer and call a taxi during the incident earlier this month.

“I asked him how he was going to help anyone if he wasn’t around,” said Mr Catlin.

“I basically said anything I could think of to get him to step away from the edge.

“I think he just needed to get some things off his chest and I think sometimes it’s easier to talk to a stranger who’s not judging you.”

The man - who contacted KentOnline to share his story but asked not to be identified - says he was going through a family crisis at the time.

“If it hadn’t been for Dan I don’t know what would have happened…”

Despite having given up alcohol some time ago, he says the stress he was under drove him to have a drink.

He then found himself on the edge of the bridge late at night on November 2.

“A few people asked if I was alright and I told them I was fine,” the man said.

“But this one gentleman, Dan, he didn’t allow me to just brush him off - he stopped and stayed with me and chatted with me.

“If it hadn’t been for Dan I don’t know what would have happened - because of him my grandchildren and children have their grandad and dad back.”

Mr Catlin - a business analyst at a healthcare company - had received some training through his work about how to identify people at risk and talk to people in dangerous situations.

“Although I’m not clinically trained, I had some insight into what I should say,” explained the Teynham resident.

“I was just walking to the shop when I saw him - I just did what anyone would have done.”

Police arrived at the bridge just before midnight.

The man, who has 13 grandchildren, says although at first he was panicked by their presence, the officers were “superb” and took to him to get the help he needed.

After being assessed at Medway Maritime Hospital, he was put into the home management scheme under NHS mental health services.

“People should trust their instincts…”

Asked what advice he would give to others experiencing mental health emergencies, he added: “Reach out - there’s so many kind people out there, there is so much humanity out there.

“For the sake of not reaching out, taking your own life is really a long-term solution to a short-term problem.”

In a statement, Supt Nick Sparkes said officers are “trained to respond to a variety of situations”.

“They are often called upon to assist members of the public who may be suffering a personal crisis,” he said.

“In these instances they will seek to empathise with that person and bring them safely into the care of health professionals.

“This is in line with the ‘right care, right person’ initiative between the force and the health services.

“Two of our constables responded to just such an incident in Faversham on November 2.

“I am pleased the man they assisted has been able to receive help they needed and has found a positive way forward, we wish him all the best in the future.”

Olivia Cayley, from Samaritans, says the charity “knows what a positive impact just a few words of support can be to someone in distress”.

“It’s great to hear how Dan was empowered by his training to use techniques he had learnt,” she said.

“People should trust their instincts and know that something as simple as starting a conversation can actually save lives.”

Mental health problems can affect any of us at any time in our lives.

When life gets tough, talking can help.

For details about other mental health support in Kent and Medway, including Amparo which provides support to anyone bereaved by suicide, please visit here.

Call the Samaritans 24/7 on 116 123, or chat in confidence to a trained Release the Pressure adviser, anytime, just text the word SHOUT to 85258 or call 0800 107 0160.