It is a sadly familiar pattern: First we hear the Orwell Bridge is closed due to an 'incident'. Hours later police inform us a body has been found in the river Orwell - 'no suspicious circumstances'.

Over the past three years, according to the latest available data, the emergency services have been called 461 times, to the 1,287 metres wide bridge spanning from Wherstead to the site of the former Ipswich Airport, in thee past three years.

While the number of people coming off the 43metre high concrete structure has not been officially confirmed, we know that behind the cold hard statistics there are tragic stories.

This calendar year alone a 17-year-old student, a man his 40s, a former Co-op worker and a 22-year-old male, have been found dead in the river.

Even those not directly affected will feel a wave of despair, perhaps posting care or sad emojis, and there is always the statement that something should be done - but up to now it has been all talk.

For Highways East chiefs, MPs, councillors and other community leader there will be lots of hand-wringing but nothing pro-active.

For one woman that was not enough and she has taken tangible action by starting a petition calling on MPs to discus the Orwell Bridge suicide prevention methods in Parliament.

Orwell Bridge petition launched.

Felixstowe charity manager Caroline Rutherford needs 10,000 verified virtual signatures to get the government to take action and has explained her motivation for getting the petition going.

Caroline said: "I started the petition because I felt not enough was actually being done and after speaking to people that have been directly affected and an MP, I decided petition could be the sort of something tangible being done.

"MP Dan Poulter and his staff have been brilliant in helping me get this started and I'm determined to get the numbers we need."

While Caroline accepts making it difficult for desperate people to use the Orwell Bridge will not prevent suicide completely, she believes the impact of such a public place has much wider implications.

The number of emergency service personnel affected, including police, paramedics, fire serve and Coastguard, and the general public caught up in the events make it even more devastating on a wider scale.

"I get that it moves the problem elsewhere," said Caroline. "But the bridge has a reputation and people are drawn to it - it is known among emergency services as 'Suicide Bridge'.

'I have spoken to people who were on the bridge recently when there was an incident with a man in his 40 and people were in tears, that had watched this man had go over. It was horrific

"I have read that the ripple effect of a suicide hits an average of 130 people, well there were probably more than that on the bridge at that time."

The charity manager at Just 42 has widespread support for her actions, from her work with young people, her local church and many individuals, including a relative of young man who took his own life.

Caroline added: "I spoke to a lady who told me she was really thankful for me to be doing this as she thought it was even more powerful that someone who had not been directly touched was doing this.

"Also, I had the resilience to be able to do this and carry it through."

Finding a practical solution has proved to be difficult and Caroline doesn't pretend she has all the answers and will leave it to Highways England and the experts to figure that out.

However, she has been told some ideas, including netting, have been discounted but she points to the action taken on the Clifton Suspension Bridge at Bristol where people jumping from the bridge halved in the first fours years after barriers were erected.

"Numbers in Clifton have gone done, the same in San Fransisco, which have dropped - it is all too easy on the Orwell Bridge," said Caroline.

There is also a scheme on the Humber Bridge where volunteers are placed at either end of the bridge at peak times to check on people walking on to the structure going across the river.

Work to stop people even considering going to theOrwell Bridge, or anywhere else to take the final act, continues and Caroline backs a number of initiatives.

"There is more that can be done though," said Caroline. "Within youth projects here is focus on training in dealing with people in distress and mentoring young people.

"Intervention and the importance of well being is being pursued but I suspect not enough being done for older men."

A keen paddle boarder and swimmer, Caroline is married to opera singer James Rutherford and has two children, a 20-year-old lad and a daughter aged 17.

After working as a volunteer youth worker, Caroline became a charity manager 14 years ago and has carried on during the pandemic, but has made tie to spread her message.

Despite being such an emotive subject, and many people offering support, reaching the 10,000 target has been slow progress and Caroline is keen to use on.

"Please sign it," she said. "It appears people are reading it then for some reason or another they're not acting on it.

"I believe that if your were a parent, a friend or relative or just someone that knows someone that has done this will sign it.

"This is an opportunity for people to actually do something, which will count. If we all sign it then all those signatures together will get it discussed in parliament and perhaps something will be done."

Sign the petition here...