The Tamar Bridge was closed for nearly four hours overnight after a man climbed to the very top of the Plymouth tower.
Emergency services were called at around 5.35pm on Thursday (20 August) following concerns for the welfare of the man.
The man was initially on the underside gantry of the bridge before managing to climb up to the very top of the tower on the Plymouth side.
A major emergency response was launched as police entered what they described as a "prolonged period of negotiation" with the man.
At one stage, the man could be seen throwing various items from the top of the bridge, including what appeared to be large stones.
Flames were also seen coming from the top of the tower after what is believed to have been the man’s vape caught on fire.
HM Coastguard tasked the RNLI inshore lifeboat, which remained on the water below alongside several Ministry of Defence Police patrol boats.
Coastguard Rescue Teams were also sent from Plymouth, Tamar and Yealm as the incident continued.
The South Western Ambulance Service deployed its specialist Hazardous Area Response Team to the scene.
Firefighters from Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service also attended, with a specialist rescue team and an Aerial Ladder Platform sent to the bridge.
Dartmoor Search and Rescue Team also attended alongside a police drone team.
A plan was eventually formulated to bring the man down from the top of the tower using the Aerial Ladder Platform (ALP).
The ALP was deployed onto the bridge at around 1am before being extended all the way to the top of the tower.
The man was taken into the cage and safely brought back down before being arrested on suspicion of criminal damage, taking a vehicle without consent, disqualified driving and public nuisance.
He was then handed into the care of healthcare professionals and taken to Derriford Hospital.
The Tamar Bridge reopened at around 1.35am on Friday morning (21 August), bringing the lengthy incident to an end.
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