A man has been arrested after an 83-year-old died in an attack by a pitbull-type dog.

Leslie Trotman suffered a bite wound to his leg in the attack on January 23 and received further injuries when the dog knocked him over.

He was taken to hospital and released later that day, but his son found him dead in his home on January 29.

Scotland Yard said the dog escaped from a neighbour's garden in Brentford, west London.

A man in his 30s has been arrested on suspicion of manslaughter.

Officers decided to treat the matter as manslaughter after a post-mortem revealed Mr Trotman died from a haemorrhage caused by a ruptured spleen.

A police spokesman said: "Officers believe these injuries were sustained during the attack by the dog."

Mr Trotman had been in his back garden in Rowan Road when he was attacked by the dog.

It is not clear how the animal managed to escape and enter Mr Trotman's property.

Police have released the suspect on bail and seized three dogs from an address in Rowan Road.