Holywood A2 Back To Normal After 'Incident'

Thousands of drivers were caught up in traffic chaos during an 'incident' that led to day-long disruption in east Belfast on Thursday.

Earlier, passing rush hour motorists on what is one of NI's busiest roads were shocked to see a hooded figure sitting on the edge of a traffic and pedestrian bridge around 8am.

Once reported, the police then diverting traffic on the Belfast-Bangor A2 road away from what police would only describe as "an incident" at the flyover at Holywood Exchange.

It was only in late afternoon that the road was re-opened after being closed in both directions as officers attempted to deal with "a woman in distress".

The NI Fire & Rescue Service was also tasked to the scene and laid out an interlinked arrangement of airbags on the normally traffic-packed A2.

Police said a woman has been taken to hospital.

Last month, in a similar incident, a lorry driver deliberately halted his vehicle under a bridge on the Westlink in west Belfast to break any fall as PSNI officers successfully worked to prevent injury.

Last night, the Sinn Fein West Belfast MP Gerry Adams called on the Stormont Health Minister, Michael McGimpsey to 'protect' funding for suicide prevention groups.

As the Department looked set to make dramatic budget cuts, the Sinn Fein President said: "These groups save lives. Any cut to their funding will lead to an increase in suicides.

"Suicide prevention groups, who are primarily made up of bereaved families, play a central role in working with those who are at risk while also filling a gap that is left by Health Agencies.

"To remove the funding for these groups is a grave error and it must not happen," he insisted.

See: Bridge Jump Man Saved By Police
(BMcC/GK)