'Sorry guys and girls, someone threatening to jump off bridge': Traffic cop's bizarre SELFIE next to M5 after 'suicidal' woman caused 19-mile tailbacks (so why did it take so long to arrest her?) 

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This is the bizarre selfie posted by a traffic officer today after police negotiated with a 25-year-old woman on an M5 motorway bridge for three hours before arresting her - causing extraordinary 19-mile tailbacks for motorists.  

Thousands of furious drivers saw their cars, caravans and lorries stuck in Somerset - throwing the Bank Holiday getaway into chaos - before police eventually arrested the woman on suspicion of causing a public nuisance.

Drivers were left questioning how it took police three hours to arrest the woman after prolonged 'negotiations' - and, minutes after she was detained, traffic officer Sergeant Harry Tangye bizarrely posted a selfie of him on the bridge, saying: 'Sorry guys and girls, someone threatening to jump off bridge, but now off and traffic moving.'  

Motorists played rugby and walked their dogs to pass the time. One said the woman should 'hurry up and get down safely' while another added: 'Three hours stuck in traffic on the M5 and now my car has broken. What a day.'

The incident ruined the start of the long weekend for motorists after the M5 was shut in both directions between Junctions 26 and 27 near Wellington in Somerset at 11am as police negotiated with the woman for hours. 

Apology: Sergeant Harry Tangye posted a photo of him on the bridge, saying: 'Sorry guys and girls, someone threatening to jump off bridge, but now off and traffic moving. Take time to clear.'

Staying entertained: Motorists played rugby (left) on the M5 in Somerset today after it was shut near Bridgwater

No movement: Motorists also played football and walked their dogs on the M5 motorway this morning following the closure 

Thousands of cars, caravans and lorries were stuck between junction 24 for Bridgwater and junction 25 for Taunton today

Massive tailbacks formed as police closed the M5 over what they described as 'concern for a woman on a motorway bridge'

Police said a 25-year-old woman was arrested on suspicion of causing a public nuisance, and she is still in custody

At about 6.30pm, Sgt Tangye tweeted an apology to the earlier message, saying he had not meant to cause any offence by posting the selfie. He said 'it's been going too well for too long' in the message

Sgt Tangye tweeted to apologise for any offence caused by his selfie, and said none was intended by the message posted earlier in the day. 

In his tweet, he wrote 'it's been going too well for too long' before apologising for any offence caused.  

Traffic was not moving on the huge stretch of the M5 from Taunton to Cullompton, Highways England said, and massive tailbacks formed when police closed the road over their 'concern for a woman on a motorway bridge'.

Avon and Somerset Police later said she was ‘being moved from the bridge’ and was ‘safe and well’, before adding that a 25-year-old woman was in custody after being arrested on suspicion of causing a public nuisance.

Some of the trapped motorists had set up deckchairs by the side of the road, others played with a frisbee and one driver even unloaded a portable toilet from his trailer before putting it on the roadside for people to use.  

Police were called to the road at 9.30am before they shut it at 11am. The stretch was reopened at about 12.45pm.

And officers warned there would be delays while the backlog of traffic clears, with the M5 already expected to be exceptionally busy as holidaymakers begin heading to the South West for the Bank Holiday weekend.

Photographer Lawrie Richardson, 31, who took a picture of the scene near junction 25 at Taunton, said: 'It struck me as typically British. They made the most of the situation by having a game of rugby to pass the time.' 

Reaction: Thousands of motorists were seething after their cars, caravans and lorries were stuck for more than three hours

At about 12.30pm traffic was not moving on a 19-mile stretch of the M5 from Taunton to Cullompton, Highways England said

Avon and Somerset Police warned that there would be delays on the M5 while the backlog of traffic clears this afternoon

The M5 was already expected to be exceptionally busy as holidaymakers begin heading to the South West for the weekend

A number of those stuck in tailbacks took to Twitter to express their frustration. One user, named Rob, from Usk in Monmouthshire, Wales, wrote: 'Stationary for nearly two hours on the M5 #m5s #worldsbiggestcarpark.' 

Designer Sarah Dyer-Hall, from London, posted a photograph of people sitting on the central reservation barrier and advised other motorists to 'avoid the area'. 

Though it was one of Sgt Tangye's few tweets of the day, the officer is making a name for himself on social media, with more than 7,500 followers on Twitter.

He also runs a blog and on the side, a topiary ball business with his wife.

A poll on Sgt Tangye's twitter drew in 123 votes - he was listening to the Chariots of Fire theme music which his wife Rebecca called 'old man music'

Sgt Tangye has more than 7,500 followers on the social network and he tweets regularly about his life inside and outside of work

Sgt Tangye took an unexpected few days off Twitter in August and posted a tongue-in-cheek message asking what his followers would do with themselves

On his day off, Sgt Tangye tweeted to say he had not been working, but had been reading an 'incredible book'. He also posted a selfie as he read, right

Sgt Tangye's dog Arthur is also a hit on the network - this picture of his pet pooch got 62 likes when it was posted on Tuesday

The delay happened as the AA said it expects 33,000 cars to break down this Bank Holiday weekend, adding that its research found the average British driver will take most of a working week to banish the ensuing stress. 

The problems come as Britons were warned of a Bank Holiday weekend washout as heavy rain was forecast along with autumnal temperatures, as more than five million of us opt for a staycation this weekend.

Towns and cities across the UK are set for a £1.3billion tourism boost as people choose to holiday at home, while 20million motorists are expected to take the roads over the three-day weekend. 

The Met Office has severe weather warnings in place for rain from today through until Sunday - with up to 2.4in expected in six hours between today and tomorrow, and up to 3in possible between Saturday and Sunday.  

The Met Office has severe weather warnings in place for rain from today through until Sunday - with up to 2.4in expected in six hours between today and tomorrow (left); and up to 3in possible between Saturday and Sunday (right) in the shaded areas

Today's outlook: A weather map shows low cloud and rain affecting the East this morning, while it is brighter in the West

However there were plenty of people enjoying an early break yesterday as the UK recorded its hottest day of the year with temperatures hitting 33.9C in Kent, topping the 33.5C recorded in Oxfordshire on July 19.

Britons took to beaches across the UK as health officials warned people to take extra care of vulnerable friends in the blistering temperatures - and the RNLI urged seaside visitors to take care and respect the water. 

It comes after five men died in Camber Sands near Rye, East Sussex, after getting into difficulty in the water. The deaths bring the toll to 12 in less than a week as people enjoy the tail end of the school holidays. 

The Met Office said the cooler three-day weekend will see a 'mixed bag' of weather, with cloud and rain coming in from the South West on Saturday, before conditions turn brighter and clearer on Sunday.

Those planning a beach trip were also told that Bank Holiday Monday is expected to be the best day of the weekend, with sunny spells and temperatures reaching the mid-20s, along with the odd isolated shower.

The Met Office issued a level three heatwave action alert for the South East and eastern England - triggered when threshold temperatures are reached for one day and the following night.

Stunning formation: A red rainbow is seen arching over the Wiltshire town of Malmesbury shortly after sunset yesterday

Crashing in: Lightning strikes over Cambridge last night on the hottest day of the year as temperatures reached nearly 34C

Beware of the Bank Holiday weekend traffic jams: This graphic shows the delays expected on Britain's roads this weekend with the 11 'congestion hotspots' shown and the length of the delay expected (in brackets), according to travel experts

The alert means there is a 90 per cent chance the maximum threshold temperature for the region - 30C in the East, and 31C in the South East - will also be met the following day.

Emma Sharples, a Met Office meteorologist, said the hot weather was down to a combination of strong sunshine and extra warmth being pushed northwards from the continent.

But there will be a respite from the heat in the coming days as temperatures fall a little, with some cloud and rain bringing fresher conditions. 

Explaining the heatwave, Ms Sharples said: 'We are drawing on the continental flow from France and Spain, where they have been having equally high and higher temperatures as we have seen today.

'As we go through the next couple of days that changes subtly and we will see some cloud and showery rain around, which will cool things off.'

Prepared: Music fans arrive at a damp Leeds Festival in West Yorkshire today, with rain forecast ahead of the three-day event

A group of girls make their way through the site of a damp Leeds Festival today as thousands of people are expected to arrive

A young woman pulled a sad face as she arrived at Leeds Festival (left), while a man brought along plenty of alcohol (right)

A women laughs as she falls to the floor with her backpack on as music lovers arrive at a damp Leeds Festival this morning

Forecasters predict that southern parts of England will enjoy temperatures in the high 20Cs for the next couple of days, with the climate in the north remaining at around 20C.

But it seems it is not set to last, as experts warn that temperatures could drop by up to 10C on Monday, with rain and thunderstorms expected across the country throughout the weekend.

Met Office forecaster Luke Miall said: 'Saturday looks to be quite unsettled with the risk of thunder showers, especially for southern areas. But, temperatures could start to rise again as warm air moves across from France. 

'Sunday is definitely going to be fresher with a risk of thunder showers. It will be several degrees cooler so it will feel especially fresh.'

Life's a beach: Three young women relax in Brighton, East Sussex, as a heatwave caused parts of Britain to sizzle yesterday

Hottest day of the year: Evie Towers, two, and six-year-old Amelia Staunton play at Stanley Park in Blackpool yesterday

Busy: Manchester Airport (file picture) officials expect more than 100,000 passengers to go through the airport tomorrow

Bookmaker Coral is offering odds-on at 1/2 that August will be the hottest ever, and has it at 5/2 that the record high temperature of 37.5C is broken this year. It is also offering 2/1 on this summer being the hottest on record.

Dr Thomas Waite, from the extreme event team at Public Health England, said: 'It's really important to remember that there are some people whose health suffers in hot weather.

'Older people, those with underlying health conditions and young children may all feel the ill-effects of heat over the coming days. We're urging everyone to keep an eye on those you know who may be at risk this summer.'

Meanwhile research by the British Vehicle Rental and Leasing Association revealed almost three quarters of Britons planning to go away this August Bank Holiday are intending to stay on UK shores.

WHAT IS A RED RAINBOW AND HOW IS IT FORMED DURING A SUNSET? 

The rare red rainbow seen over Malmesbury, Wiltshire

Rainbows appear when sunlight bends as it passes through water droplets in the air.

Different parts of the light spectrum bend by different amounts, breaking the light into its individual colour components and creating the distinctive colourful arch.

On rare occasions, a rainbow will contain just part of the colour spectrum.

Red rainbows form during sunset, when the sun's low point means light has to travel a longer distance through the atmosphere.

During the journey, the air scatters away the cooler colours.

The redder remaining light thickens a rainbow's red band, eventually forcing out the violet, blue and orange band and leaving behind a red-only rainbow.

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