Bedford woman reflects on saving a life ahead of World Suicide Prevention Day

“I had nearly finished my evening shift at the gateline when a shirtless man suddenly pushed through the barriers and was mumbling to himself. He had been drinking a lot of alcohol and I heard him saying he wanted to take his own life, so I dropped what I was doing and put in an emergency call to shut the lines running into the station.

"As railway staff, we are given training on how to handle these delicate situations, so I put this into practise by approaching the man calmly and started a conversation.

“I asked if he was okay and what was making him feel this way and he told me some things had gone wrong in his personal life. I tried to break him out of the negative thought cycle by saying ‘this isn’t the solution, you’ve got so much to live for’.

"Thankfully, there was a kind off-duty police officer who also wanted to help get this man to safety, so we both talked to him until the British Transport Police (BTP) arrived and took over.

“A few months on from the incident and I’m relieved I was able to keep calm and help save this man’s life.”

Farhanah, who lives in Bedford, said suicide prevention training at work has helped boost her confidence when it comes to making lifesaving interventions.

“As a frontline colleague, the training provided by Thameslink and the Samaritans has been invaluable because if it’s given me the confidence to spot a vulnerable person and communicate effectively, while avoiding language which could potentially be triggering.

"It can be challenging approaching someone who is risking their life, however sometimes it just takes a simple conversation to turn things around.”

Ahead of World Suicide Prevention Day, the rail operator is encouraging members of the public to look out for one another when travelling. If people spot concerning behaviour, they can text the BTP on 6106, or call 999 if it is an emergency.