Woman clings on to bridge for dear life after ignoring alarm that it was opening

Woman clings on to bridge for dear life after ignoring alarm that it was opening, A woman was left clinging on for dear life for over 20 minutes after the railway bridge over a river she was crossing lifted up.

Wanda Keating McGowan, who had been taking part in a fundraising walk for a breast cancer charity at the time, was hoisted over 22ft (6.7m) in the air.

Eyewitness Philip Glazebrook told the NBC6 television channel that the bridge made a loud alarm before opening and it was unclear why the woman had continued to cross.

He explained: ‘So she’s stuck on the bridge and she’s going up. The next thing is, she’s stuck, straddled like Jesus Christ.’

Witnesses said that the 55-year-old had to wait for over 20 minutes before being rescued by firefighters with a 24ft (7.3m) ladder from the bridge above New river in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, in the US.

In clear relief following the incident Ms McGowan posted a message on her Facebook page thanking the rescue team’s efforts: ‘To all the firemen and police officers. THANK YOU. YOU SAVED MY LIFE. ALL GOOD THINGS TO YOU.’