A group of heroes have rescued a man who attempted to take his own life after jumping off scaffolding at the third storey of a hotel.

Shortly after 12pm yesterday, a man, believed to be in his late 20s, first attempted to climb onto a scaffolding on a property in Oriental Place, also opposite the Kings Hotel.

Construction workers from Lewes Scaffolding company helped the man down and tried to dissuade him from hurting himself.

He then dashed across to scaffolding at the Kings Hotel where he climbed to the third storey, wrapped a rope around his neck and leapt off. But luckily, he was saved by a Kings Hotel member of staff and the Lewes Scaffolding team.

Wayne Halton said: “We first saw him knocking loudly at the BHT hostel. He wanted to go inside but there was no answer.

“The man appeared to be drunk. He then staggered over to us and tried to climb on the scaffolding which was 10 metres high. He was swinging on the bars and we stopped him.

“He then ran over to the Kings Hotel where there was scaffolding, and he climbed up a ladder to the third storey.

“The man was very determined to do what he had set out to do. He found a rope, hung it around his neck and then wrapped it around the scaffolding rails and then jumped off.

“We ran to the platform below him and grabbed hold of his legs. A hotel staff member came out to save him too.

“When we got him down he tried to worm inside the scaffolding. We were very glad we helped him.”

Mr Halton’s colleague, Lee Mandry, said the incident lasted for more than an hour.

He said: “He was lucky that we were there otherwise it would be a really sad incident. We were going to contact the police but the police arrived just as he was on the hotel. It was very fortunate the police happened to be turning right into Oriental Place so the incident was sorted out quicker.

“Fire engines arrived too to help him down. He was taken to the hospital to get checked up.”

A Sussex Police spokesman said: “At about 12.19pm on Tuesday March 6, police were called regarding concerns for a man on scaffolding in Oriental Place, Brighton.

“Officers attended, and members of the public helped to bring the man to safety.

“The man was detained under the Mental Health Act and taken to hospital.”