This is the rooftop drama which prevented police from sending officers to Karims Tandoori to deal with the suspected burglar.

A housing official saved a man from jumping 45ft off a ledge by grabbing his arm as he fell.

Kevin Gill, a housing officer for Brighton and Hove City Council, risked his life for the second time in a month to save the man who threatened to throw himself off a roof in Bartholomew Square yesterday.

Mr Gill, 38, and PC Scott Lee were praised for their courage in talking the same man down from the building when he threatened to jump on July 26.

This time the 32-year-old man tried to jump as Mr Gill tried to persuade him to come down.

Mr Gill caught hold of him and, with the man dangling over the edge of the building, three police officers helped drag him to safety.

Fire officers put up a ladder before the man was brought down, accompanied by Mr Gill, who had previously talked to the man about a housing problem.

Police, paramedics and fire officers had watched as Mr Gill sat with the man for almost 90 minutes after climbing on to the roof to talk to him.

The man went to the edge of the building and sat with his feet dangling over the ledge.

Police cordoned off streets in the area including Prince Albert Street and the area around Brighton Town Hall.

Mr Gill said: "In reality it was a team effort. I stopped him from dying but without the police helping me I couldn't have done it."

Police said the man would receive the help he needed.