Heartbreak for children of dead PC

The 48-year-old constable collapsed outside a house in Wembley as colleagues arrested a man during a violent struggle, it was revealed today.

Colleagues and paramedics tried to resuscitate him for 45 minutes as he lay dying. A man in his thirties was later arrested on suspicion of murder. The officer was not being named until police informed his next of kin.

Wembley borough commander Mark Tolland said: "He leaves behind a wife and three children. Our thoughts are with his family and colleagues at this time."

The Met said officers were called to the house in Brinkburn Gardens at 5.45pm after reports of a domestic incident.

It was not known what it was over but neighbours said police had been called to the semi-detached house several times before.

Neighbour Chok Soong, an accountant, said: "I heard four police cars turn into the cul-de-sac. I had no idea what was going on but I heard an officer shouting, 'Open the door or we will kick it down'."

About six officers went into the house and a fight broke out as they attempted to restrain a man. The suspect was initially arrested for assaulting a police officer during the struggle.

One of the officers who had been involved in making the arrest then left the house and collapsed in the front garden. Police said the officer did not appear to have been assaulted during the incident.

One neighbour, a 32-year-old mother who did not want to give her name, said she saw the officer lying outside the house. "The guy I saw was pretty big. Other officers were shining torches over him as paramedics worked on him," she said.

"It was quiet and calm and at one point they took oxygen cylinders from the ambulance and they gave him oxygen. They put him in the back of the ambulance and it drove away with its sirens off."

Neighbour Joyce Mclean said the couple who lived at the two-bedroom house had two children, a girl aged about 10 and a younger child aged about four, and had moved in around a year ago.

Mrs Mclean said: "We never had any trouble before they moved in around a year ago.

"Me and my neighbours don't know much about the couple but we were shocked the police went round to their house so often."

Home Office minister Tony McNulty said: "I am deeply saddened to learn of the death of a police officer while on duty with the Metropolitan Police.

"Events such as this highlight the dangers that our police officers face every day when protecting the public. This is a tragic event and I offer my deepest sympathy to the officer's family, friends and colleagues."

Norman Brennan, head of police campaign group Protect the Protectors, said: "Despite the sometimes critical reports you hear about police officers, the true reality of policing in Britain today is it is a very dangerous and often thankless job."

The residents of Brinkburn Gardens pledged to start a collection for the family of the dead officer.