A referral is being made to the police watchdog after a "distressed" 49-year-old man who collapsed in Catford died having been handcuffed.

Police were called after the victim, who claimed he had been stabbed, allegedly tried to grab members of the public on Verdant Lane shortly after 7pm on Sunday, July 4, discovering him lying on the floor.

A Met spokesperson said he was checked for injury and a single handcuff was applied to his arm “as his behaviour become more erratic”.

This is said to have been removed a short time later when the man’s condition deteriorated, as officers administered first aid until paramedics arrived.

No evidence of a stab wound was discovered.

The man was rushed to a south London hospital, where he died later that evening.

Urgent enquiries are ongoing to locate and inform the man’s next of kin.

The incident is being investigated by the Directorate of Professional Standards (DPS) and a referral is being made to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC).

The DPS is the internal Met body responsible for investigating complaints against the conduct of its officers, while the IOPC makes decisions entirely independently of the police and government.

Superintendent Petra Lazar of the Met’s South East Area BCU said: “This is a very distressing incident, and my thoughts are with the man’s family and friends.

“I will ensure that they are provided with the best possible support by the Metropolitan Police.

“A thorough investigation is under way to fully understand the circumstances, and this will include a post-mortem examination to establish the cause of the man’s death.

“No evidence of stab injuries was found by the officers at the scene.

“The officers’ body worn video footage has been viewed.

"It is important to wait for a full assessment of this and other material but, at this early stage, I can say that the officers’ use of force in applying a single handcuff was minimal.

“It is only right that this will be subject to considerable scrutiny given the sad outcome of this incident.

“I await further details in the coming days and can assure the full support of all my officers to those investigating this tragic incident.

“Along with colleagues and partner organisations, I will do all I can to establish a full picture and to share that with the man’s family and the wider community as soon as possible.”