It is nine months ago since Sam Conlin was tragically last seen on the Humber Bridge.

His family know he took his own life that night, but the 24-year-old's body has never been located - and he is still classed as 'missing'.

This week, the Humber Bridge Board voted to support a study looking into raising the parapets on the bridge in an attempt to stop people from taking their own lives.

It comes after police were called to nearly 400 reports of people threatening to take their own life off the bridge between 2015 and 2018 and an increasing amount of pressure for the Bridge Board to take action.

Sam's father, Ian Conlin, 56, has hailed the idea of the parapets on the Humber Bridge being raised, but the announcement has left him feeling bittersweet after he believes the safety barriers should have been introduced "years ago".

Tributes have been paid to Sam Conlin

Speaking on Saturday, on what would have been Sam's 25th birthday, Ian said: "It should have been done when the bridge was built.

"I know three people who have done the same thing [taken their life at the bridge] so it is ridiculous with all the hundreds who have jumped off, I know three of them.

"The bridge should have been built with the barriers on in the first place I think - the barriers should have been there 20 years ago at least.

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"I guess people can take their life anywhere, but as I have said, certainly in the last couple of years, if it can save someone else's son then I will fully support it. That's our position.

"It is a great idea, but I think it [Sam's death] should not have been allowed to happen.


"That is the biggest thing for us, is the security not to keep watching Sam when he was on the bridge."

Although CCTV did not pick up the moment Sam jumped on December 29 last year, as the bridge's cameras were focused on the other man at exactly the same time, Ian is "100 per cent certain" his son took his own life.

'Things could have been a lot different'

In what Ian describes as a "unique situation", he says he is yet to hear anything from the authorities over whether they have found his son's body. He still awaits that fateful call.

He also claims that things could have been "a lot different" if there had been more than one security camera on the bridge when Sam took his own life.

Sam Conlin

Ian added: "Yes, I know it is a unique situation [with Sam], but they need more than just one camera. If someone could have just gone to question them and asked about their intentions, it could be a different story.

"Anything they can do [to stop people taking their own life], and certainly with the barriers, they should have been put up sooner I'm afraid.

"The barriers will help other people thankfully and stop people taking their own life on the bridge. The thing with the security [on the bridge], there is a lot to be desired and how they can't go and track two people on the bridge at the same time.

"Sam would have been 25 years old today and we miss him terribly. We have still heard nothing and do not get to know anything."

Ian added: "To this day we still have had no explanation to what has happened to his body."

Ian is currently using a new law which was brought into force this year following a decade-long campaign by Claudia Lawrence's solicitor father Peter Lawrence.

The legal mechanism is to help the family of a missing person take hold of their property and financial affairs while they are registered as 'missing'.

Ian added: "There was the new law that came out in July to get access to his house because we thought we would lose it.

"It's thanks to Claudia's law that we can do that and my solicitor is in the process of applying to the court so I can access to Sam's accounts."

'The issue of suicides is an emotive one'

Between 2015 and 2018, police attended 380 reports of people threatening to take their own lives from the bridge.

The increasing numbers have placed pressure on the Humber Bridge Board to take further action to try and prevent suicides from the Grade I listed structure.

Following the Bridge Board's vote to support the study on Friday, a working group to take it forward has been established consisting of engineering experts at the bridge and external consultants.

The study will explore different methods of preventing people from taking their own lives from the bridge, such as replacing the barriers or raising the existing parapets.

Councillor Sean Chaytor, who chairs the Humber Bridge Board, said: "The issue of suicides at the Humber Bridge is an extremely emotive one, and we understand people have very strong views about it.

"It is a matter we have always taken very seriously and our response to it has evolved over the years the bridge has been in existence.

"Conducting this feasibility study is the next step in that evolution. We intend to uncover exactly what it is possible to do on a suspension bridge of this size from an engineering perspective and which solution would work the best."

Hull Live launched a campaign surrounding men's mental health and is urging men to get help and speak to their parents, loved ones, or with their GP.

A male-only mental health group called Andy's Man Club meet at the Airco Training Centre every Monday at 7pm.

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