The death of a man, arrested following a break-in in Twickenham, is being investigated by a watchdog examining the "nature" of his "interactions" with police.

The Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) has launched an inquiry into the dealings Metropolitan Police officers had with the 31-year-old before he died.

His death came after police were called at approximately 2am on June 4 to reports of a man breaking into a property in Hospital Bridge Road.

A man, who has not been named, was detained under the Mental Health Act before being held in custody at Kingston police station for several hours.

In custody, the man was assessed and sectioned before being transported in a police van to the mental health unit at Springfield Hospital in Tooting, arriving just before midnight.

According to the Metropolitan Police a man became unwell in the early hours of June 5 and London Ambulance Service (LAS) which said he suffered a cardiac arrest was called at 4.01am.

He was taken by ambulance to St George's Hospital, Tooting, where he was pronounced dead at 5.45am.

The Directorate of Professional Standards was informed and the death referred to the IPCC, which is investigating prior police contact with the man.

An IPCC spokesman said: "The IPCC is investigating interactions between a 31-year-old man and the Metropolitan Police between 1.49am on Thursday, June 4, 2015, to his admittance to Springfield Hospital on Friday, June 5, 2015.

"The IPCC's investigation is limited to establishing the nature of police interactions with the man."

The spokesman added the watchdog was not investigating the cause of death "as there is no indication police actions contributed to it".

An LAS spokesman confirmed sent a single responder by car and an ambulance crew to Springfield Hospital before taking him to St George's as a priority.