Investigation after man dies in police custody

An investigation is under way after a man died in hospital shortly after being taken into police custody.

The man in his 40s from Blackburn in Lancashire was arrested in Blackpool town centre on Saturday evening, the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) said.

A spokesman for the watchdog said he became unwell in the custody suite after he was detained by Lancashire Police, and needed medical attention.

He was taken to Blackpool Victoria Hospital and died later that day, they added.

The incident has been referred to the IOPC, which will now independently examine the circumstances of what happened.

The police watchdog will seek to "understand events surrounding the death, including the actions and decision-making of police," the spokesman added.

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