Police have stopped a press photographer while he was trying to take pictures of a person threatening to throw themselves off the Tyne Bridge in Newcastle-upon-Tyne.

Commenting on the incident a spokeswoman for Northumbria Police told us this morning: ?A 36-year-old man will be summonsed for obstructing the police in the execution of their duty.?

We understand that police stopped the photographer yesterday because it was felt that he could have caused an unwanted distraction to the person on the bridge, which is 59m high.

The man ? who police declined to name ? was arrested and later released. Police say he will be summonsed to appear in court at a date yet to be set.

Police are also investigating the alleged theft of the photographer?s camera gear which apparently went missing near the scene while officers were escorting him to the police station.

Northumbria police want to make it clear that the theft allegation has not been made against any police officer.

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