A father-to-be died after being restrained by his neighbour when an argument with his pregnant girlfriend turned into tragedy.

John Ebden, 38, who suffered from attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, had to be rugby tackled and held on the ground by a neighbour, after a row with girlfriend Katy Chester.

Mr Ebden, who ran a family breakers business with his father, had followed Miss Chester across De Vere Close, Wallington after she ran out of her house.

A 35-year-year-old neighbour intervened and restrained Mr Ebden on the ground while the police were called.

According to police, Mr Ebden became unconscious and, despite being treated at the scene by police officers and the London Ambulance Service, he was pronounced dead at 9.05pm on December 11.

Mr Ebden’s funeral was held on February 17 with Millers florist providing the flowers free of charge.

The neighbour was arrested in connection with the death but was later released without further action.

Speaking to the Sutton Guardian, the neighbour said this week that Mr Ebden’s death had had a profound impact on him.

He said: “It was over in 10 seconds and it has ruined my life.

“He died on my front doorstep. Every time I look down at it I think of him.”

Miss Chester, who is due to give birth to Mr Ebden’s child on St Patrick’s Day, said: “John would get paranoid sometimes.

"I don’t know who to blame.

"The police took 25 minutes getting here, and the ambulance didn’t come for half-an-hour after that.

"John had no top on and it was -3C outside.”

Mr Ebden’s auntie, Eileen Ebden, 49, said he was misunderstood.

She said: “John was a hugely loving man who would do anything for anyone.

"The kids around here loved him – he was like the pied piper to them.

“John was let down by the system. He would get given medicine every few weeks and that was it.”

A postmortem examination held at St Helier Hospital on December 12 proved inconclusive.

A spokesman for the Metropolitan Police said: “The directorate for professional standards have reviewed the actions of the officers who attended and found there was no cause or link between them and the death of Mr Ebden.

"The IPCC was informed but declined to investigate.”

An inquest into the incident will be held at a later date.