A desperate member of the public flagged down a passing police car to help a man who collapsed in the street

Metropolitan Police officers were alerted by a member of public to a man who collapsed near Valentines Park in Cranbrook Road, Ilford, at around 10.23am today (December 29).

They administered CPR to the man while they waited for the London Ambulance Service (LAS) to arrive. 

The first ambulance vehicle arrived within five minutes of the report coming through, but the man died at the scene despite the combined efforts of the Met and LAS.

His death is not being treated as suspicious, but is being looked into as unexplained. 

Police are now working to establish the man's identity to inform his next of kin. 

They have described the man as being aged between 50 and 75 years, and he is believed to be of south European origin, possibly Turkish. 

Anyone who can help police, or who believes they might know who the man described is, should call 101 or post @MetCC ref CAD 1885/29 Dec.