THE life of an East Bank Berbice housewife almost ended, after a man of unsound mind nearly pushed her off the Edinburgh Bridge which she was crossing, on her way home.

The bridge which interconnects Heathburn and Edinburgh villages is currently under construction and is devoid of rails.

Earlier, Rosamund Samuels had visited relatives and was walking along the main East Bank thoroughfare when she heard the sound of an approaching car coming from behind her.

‘I stood aside to avoid the traffic. Within seconds, I felt a hard push from someone behind me. At the time, I was carrying two bags. One was on my shoulder and the other was in my hand. Because of the sudden push, the bag in my hand fell overboard and I fell too but grabbed for my life on the protruding steel rods on the incomplete bridge,” the woman related.

She added: “At that instance, I recognised the individual who was over me and was trying to push me over. But I wrestled with him, even sustaining injuries about the body. I tried to get off the ground. By then, a car approached and the driver exited his vehicle. However, the guy ran away, but was apprehended by two onlookers a short distance away.”

The man of unsound mind has been identified as Surdat Williams.

Williams was taken to Central Police Station before being escorted to the National Psychiatric Hospital for an assessment. On November 17, 2017, Williams set ablaze a two-storey house  at Lot 945 Glasgow, New Housing Scheme, leaving his parents, Jean and Eze Benjamin, who are pensioners, along with a niece, homeless.