NEWPORT city centre was brought to a standstill on Saturday afternoon when a woman climbed onto a railway bridge.

Trains were stopped for three hours after the 43-year-old woman climbed over railings onto the track on the railway bridge close to Newport castle.

She then climbed below the track and sat on the bridge's support struts.

Eyewitness Christopher Gullick, 25, of Bettws, said: "She was sat on the supports that hold the bridge up.

"The police had everything cordoned off and huge crowds gathered to look at what was going on."

A spokeswoman for Gwent Police said officers were concerned for the woman's safety after she was spotted at around 2.15pm.

Trained police negotiators tried to talk the woman down as firefighters, paramedics and the Severn Area Rescue Association stood by.

She was eventually brought to safety by officers at 5.15pm and taken into custody by British Transport Police.

PC Monty Wright, from the British Transport Police, said the woman was being detained under the Mental Health Act.

He said: "It was a successful negotiation and joint effort by Gwent Police and British Transport Police.

"No one was hurt and we ensured her safety and moved her out of danger."