A man died in an Oxford churchyard after an apparent struggle with police officers yesterday afternoon (March 14).

The Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) travelled to Oxford last night to investigate the death of the man at SS Mary and John Church, Cowley Road.

The churchyard was sealed off as IPCC and Police investigators looked for evidence.

Witnesses described seeing two police officers wrestling with a man at about 1pm. Seconds later they were seen attempting to resuscitate him.

The IPCC said the incident was reported to them as a 'death after police contact' and they did not yet know if the man, who has not been identified, had been arrested.

A man who had been with his partner and their son in the churchyard at the time and did not want to be identified, said: "Police stopped some guy who had a bag of beers. From what we could see, he resisted arrest, so the officers restrained him and he looked as though he had a heart attack.

"We walked back later and the police were pumping his chest."

Kieron Scanwell, from East Oxford, said: "I heard a woman screaming, walked around the corner and saw one female and one male police officer with a guy up against a wall.

"He got into an argument with the female police officer and hit her. The male officer held him against the wall and was trying to get him down on to the floor.

"He was about 40 and was quite overweight.

"All of a sudden, after about 20 seconds, I saw them start giving him the kiss of life."

An ambulance was called. Helen Robinson, ambulance spokesman, said: "We were stood down on arrival because the man was dead at the scene."

Police spokesman Tim Wiseman said at about 1pm, a police officer approached a man near the church.

He said: "An altercation then occurred between the man, the officer and a second police officer.

"The exact circumstances surrounding this incident at this time are unclear. However, shortly after, an ambulance was called to the churchyard, where the man, whose age is unknown, was pronounced dead.

"As with all such incidents, the Thames Valley Police Professional Standards Department have informed the IPCC of the incident.

"IPCC investigators are currently assessing the incident to decide on how best the inquiry can be carried out."

Nikki Redmond, of the IPCC said: "We were informed about the death of a man following police contact at about 1pm yesterday March 14.

"Our investigators went to assess the incident and they will advise the commissioner on how they think an inquiry should be carried out.

"We are treating it as a death following police contact. We don't know yet if it is an actual death in custody."

Curate of the church, the Rev Jonathan Herapath, said: "We have offered the police our full cooperation. We will continue to use the church."