THESE were the dramatic moments when a woman clung precariously to a railway bridge over a live electric rail.

As police negotiators tried to talk the mentally-anguished woman away from danger, trains passed to and fro 40 feet below.

The drama happened yesterday afternoon near Winchester train station, disrupting the journeys of hundreds of people.

Police were forced to close several roads around the station to allow officers to safely and calmly speak to the woman.

She had clambered onto the parapet of the bridge at Upper High Street at around 11.30am before finally voluntarily giving herself up to the police at around 4.20pm.

The woman, who has not been named, had appeared at the bridge in the late morning and having climbed over the safety barrier, she spoke to police for several hours as they attempted to persuade to move back over the safety railing.

At times the discussion appeared heated to onlookers. She could be heard shouting and arguing with the negotiators. The public were kept at a distance of at least 50 yards.

Two priests were in the vicinity and one female vicar, who refused to give her name, said that she would pray for the woman.

She offered her services, asking if the police wanted the services of a priest, to which an officer thanked her but said they had enough negotiators.

At the time a member of the public said: “The police have closed off Clifton Terrace. A lady is sitting on the parapet and couple of officers talking to her.”

A spokeswoman for British Transport Police said its officers were sent to the scene after a call was made at 11.34am.

The spokeswoman confirmed that the woman had climbed down voluntarily shortly before 4.30pm. She was taken by two police officers holding each arm to a police van. She was bare foot.

British Transport Police have said that the woman was not arrested but has been taken "to a place of safety".

A South West Trains spokesman said the station had remained open throughout, but that trains suffered "minor delays" and were proceeding through the station with caution.

The incident was only yards from the base of Winchester Samaritans, on Upper High Street.