Matt Prior, Stuart Broad rescue man from jumping off a bridge in Sydney

England cricketers Matt Prior and Stuart Broad helped rescue a man preparing to jump off a bridge near the team hotel in Sydney.

Britain's Daily Telegraph reported Wednesday that wicketkeeper Prior helped pull the man away from the edge of the bridge in Darling Harbour and chatted to him along with fast bowler Broad for almost an hour before New South Wales police arrived on the scene.

"We just did what anybody would do in that situation," said Prior.

"We were trying to help a bloke who was struggling and in a bad way. I look back and I'm just glad we left the bar when we did and we were there for him."

The players believe the unnamed man was British. He had thrown his telephone, passport and wallet in the water. Initially the players thought he was standing on the railings of the bridge for a dare before realising the seriousness of the situation.

They were returning from a "Barmy Army" supporters event on Tuesday night raising funds for the Broad Appeal, a charity founded in honour of Broad's late stepmother to raise money and awareness to combat Motor Neurone Disease.

Terry Minish, the team's security officer, was with the England pair and claimed the man -- who said he was from Cheltenham, south-west England -- had indicated he wanted to drown. He had reportedly already thrown his telephone, passport and wallet into the water.

"Walking back to the hotel we spotted a young man on the edge of the bridge about to jump," Minish said.

"He was saying he just wanted to drown. Matt helped to pull him down off the edge of the bridge and sat with him until the police arrived.

"It all happened very quickly and we acted on impulse. It is what you do in these situations."