A POLICE officer was left with a suspected broken shoulder following a struggle with a man who was Tasered as he attempted to climb over railings on a bridge.

Officers were initially called after numerous reports of a man stepping out in front of traffic on Sherdley Road.

Patrols found a man stood close to the railings and as they spoke to him he started to climb over them.

The officers immediately stepped in and during a prolonged struggle one used their Taser to restrain him.

He was subsequently detained under the Mental Health Act and taken to hospital.

During the struggle one of the officers, a sergeant, was taken to Whiston Hospital after suffering a serious shoulder injury.

St Helens area commander chief superintendent Julie Cooke explained: “My officers were faced with an extremely difficult situation in which a man who was clearly agitated and upset was putting himself in harm’s way by walking into the path of oncoming cars and trying to climb over railings high above the linkway.

“Despite their best efforts to talk to him and calm him down officers had to restrain him before he hurt himself or others and in doing so one of them suffered a very painful and serious injury to his shoulder.

“All the officers played a part in safely detaining this man and put themselves at considerable risk in doing so which is testament to their professionalism and dedication to protecting the people of St Helens.”

The incident happened at around 6pm on Sunday, June 8.