Ref. 30168-30A STORE security guard who stopped a suicidal man from jumping 60 feet to his death has been honoured.

David Thompson, 23, received a Royal Humane Society award, known as a Testimonial on Parchment from Swindon mayor Derek Benfield at the Civic Offices.

It was November 6 last year when shoppers at Debenhams told Mr Thompson there was a man on the top floor of the Fleming Way car park, dangling his legs over the edge.

Mr Thompson ran to the scene, tried to dissuade the man from jumping and then held onto him until colleagues and the police arrived.

The modest lifesaver is pleased with his award, but insists he was simply acting on instinct and determination.

Mr Thompson said: "I was alerted by customers.

"They said a man was sitting on the car park ledge five floors up, that he was threatening to jump and that he had said he wanted to talk to somebody.

"I went up and approached him cautiously."

The man was later found to be suffering from a mental illness.

He told Mr Thompson, who lives in Westlea, that he felt nobody cared about him.

Mr Thompson tried to keep him talking until help arrived, but to no avail.

The unnamed man suddenly turned to him and said: "I'm going to go now."

He thrust himself away from the ledge, but Mr Thompson grabbed him, taking his full weight.

Managing to grasp first one and then the other, Mr Thompson took the strain with his legs.

Had he let go, the resulting fall would almost certainly have been fatal.

He recalled: "I managed to hold the man until help came my colleagues and the police arrived about 20 seconds later.

"Once they got there, they grabbed the man as well, and we all hauled him back up.

"I couldn't help noticing that the man didn't seem particularly pleased to have been rescued.

"It was only afterwards that I realised how shaken up I was."

He has not seen or heard of the man since that day.

The Humane Society award is one of the most prestigious bravery awards in the country.

The mayor said after making the presentation: "This was my last function in the Mayor's Parlour before I step down, and I am so proud it was this presentation.

"This young man is a credit to Swindon.

"What he did is unbelievable.

"Bravery is all about fearlessness, and fearlessness is what he showed.

"He told me the seconds when he was hanging on to this man before help came were the longest he had ever experienced.

"What a great person."

Barrie Hudson