AUTHORITIES deserve a lot of credit for a successful May Morning yesterday.

The change to opening Magdalen Bridge yet having the sides of the bridge barricaded off with security is significantly more sensible than a previous approach.

Then, all that happened was the bridge was closed but then re-opened earlier than advertised. And it resulted in several idiots deciding to then chance their arm (or leg, more correctly) by jumping.

Yesterday three people attempted to jump and were dealt with.

The weather may have helped by keeping the numbers down, but the same arrangement last year was similarly successful with 18,000 in attendance.

Originally police and council officials were damned when they did nothing and then damned when they shut the bridge.

But they have clearly been learning and developing their approach over recent years and we can be confident they have struck upon a successful formula that allows revelry on the bridge but thwarts the mindless.