So said Police Constables Lui See-man and Wu Sai-yan when telling of their recent successful rescue of a suicidal woman in Tseung Kwan O.

The Kowloon East Emergency Unit Platoon 3 officers had been called to a flat in Hau Tak Estate where a 37-year-old woman was threatening to commit suicide by jumping off the high-rise building.

"Wu and I rushed into the flat while our team mates helped cordon off the whole area," Mr Lui recalled.

They found the woman sitting on the windowsill from which she intended to jump to her death. Mr Lui began talking to her, hoping to calm her down and delay any attempt at jumping. After a little while, Mr Wu saw an opportunity to grab hold of her hands and he did so.

Mr Wu said: "We kept on holding her hands and talking to her but, although she did not try to struggle free, she did not respond to further conversation. We had no idea if she had given up her attempt at suicide or not."

To help them to get a firmer grip on the woman's hands, they asked her husband to remove the window grille. Mr Lui explained: "The woman was in such a precarious position that, even with the grille removed, it would have been very difficult to pull her back into the room safely - especially if she resisted."

There were firemen in attendance and it was eventually decided that they would send a couple of men to abseil down to the woman. While they were doing so, the policemen maintained their grip on the woman and continued trying to sooth her. In all, it was about 17 minutes before the firemen were in position and the two policemen could risk hauling her into the safety of her flat.

As she was prepared for a trip to the hospital, the woman began abusing her rescuers for stopping her from jumping. "Of course, we didn't take her words too seriously because we knew that she was extremely upset about her personal problems," said Mr Wu.

The officers explained that: "We know we must always try our best in every rescue attempt, no matter how difficult the situation may be. After all, it's our duty to save lives and protect property. But when, as on this occasion, the rescue is successful you get an immediate deep feeling of relief and then, a little later, a great sense of personal satisfaction."

Let me go!