A housing officer stopped another man from jumping from a roof by telling him: "Things are never as bad as they seem."

Brighton and Hove housing advice officer Kevin Gill, 38, and PC Lee Scott risked their lives 45ft above a city centre street by talking to the man and bringing him to safety.

Mr Gill had seen the young man early on Friday afternoon in his city-centre offices about his deteriorating housing problem.

He said: "About an hour later a security guard at Brighton Town Hall stepped in to say I was needed.

"He took me to the crowded street, there were lots of people about and an ambulance and a number of police on hand.

I was told the young man would only speak to me. I could hardly say no.

"The adrenaline was flowing as I climbed through an abandoned building with the help of a couple of builders to get to the point where I could talk to the young man.

"It was precarious and extremely dangerous for all of us with no safety net but I just wanted to do what was expected of me to help sort the situation out.

"PC Scott tried to stay out of sight at this point because the young man didn't trust him as much as he seemed to trust me. I managed to talk him off the parapet, then put him into the arms of PC Scott who led him down.

"I felt some pride that I had helped to save a life but it was certainly a joint effort with the police. PC Scott showed real courage walking out on to the very narrow parapet with no safety line."

The hour-long drama was watched by shoppers who gathered as police threw a cordon round the building in Bartholomews, Brighton.

At one point, PC Scott handed the 32-year-old man a cigarette as he balanced on an 18-inch ledge.

The man was led to the street below and taken to Brighton police station under the Mental Health Act. He later received psychiatric help.

Police praised the efforts of PC Scott, Mr Gill and builders who helped.