Posted on the 15th April 2026 in PHTM News

WORKINGTON TAXI DRIVER PRAISED FOR SAVING MAN IN CRISIS ON BRIDGE

A young taxi driver has been hailed as a hero after stopping to help a man who was contemplating jumping from a bridge in Workington.

Taylor Kilburn, 24, was driving his KB Travel taxi in the early hours of the morning last month when he noticed a man standing on the edge of the structure and felt the situation "just didn't look right."

Mr. Kilburn turned his car around and pulled over to check on the man's welfare. "I asked him if he was okay and he basically just broke down into tears and said he wasn't happy," the driver recalled.

"He didn't want to be here anymore and he was going to basically throw himself off the bridge. He kept asking me to leave him and I said: 'I can't do that'."

After talking with the man for about ten minutes, Mr. Kilburn successfully persuaded him to get into the taxi and called emergency services for help.

Reflecting on the encounter, he said: "It was unusual, because it's not something I have ever really come across. It was quite surprising really and caught me off guard a bit when he said what he wanted to do. I wasn't really expecting it."

Despite the life-saving nature of his actions, the driver remained humble. "I didn't do it for any publicity, I didn't really tell many people about it. It's a good feeling," he added.

His partner, Paris O’Neill, said she was proud but not surprised by his kindness. "I just thinks it's nice that he went out of his way... a lot of people would have just driven past," she said.

"He always thinks about other people. It was definitely in his nature to do something like that."

Cumbria’s Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner, David Allen, offered his gratitude, stating: “A huge thank you to the actions of Taylor. Whilst Taylor may have thought this was an everyday act, [he] may have saved this individual's life.”

Commissioner Allen also urged anyone struggling with their mental health to contact their GP or reach out to support groups like Andy’s Man Club, reminding the public that "you don’t need to suffer alone." 


Read another story