POLICE have condemned motorists who taunted a distraught woman threatening to leap from a bridge over the M3 motorway.

Drivers posted a raft of offensive comments on social media when officers closed the road to try and help the woman to safety.

Now police have branded motorists behaviour as “completely unacceptable”.

A section of the M3 at Sunbury in Surrey was closed for more than two hours when the woman stood on the bridge yesterday morning.

One driver messaged Surrey Police on Twitter saying: “Tell her to get on with it.

“Bloody ruining everyone’s weekend. Sat in this for an hour and a half now.”

Another wrote:“"To the person causing traffic jam on the M3/A316, you selfish, selfish t***."

The user added: "Surrey police, can't you rubber bullet the jumper on M3/A316 and get the traffic moving?

In a statement Inspector Julie Hillman said: "Having members of the public taunt somebody who is clearly in a distressed state as we did earlier today is completely unacceptable.

"I hope the public understand why it was necessary for us to close the road as doing so helped save the woman's life.

"I appreciate that being stuck in traffic is the last thing that people want to be doing, particularly on a weekend when the weather is hot.

"But on this occasion it was completely necessary to ensure officers saw this woman to safety."

The woman was eventually detained under the Mental Health Act.