'Disturbing' rise in deaths during arrests...

Campaigners warned of a "disturbing trend" over fatalities from police confrontations today as investigations were launched into a man's death following a Taser shooting.

The 53-year-old, named locally as Philip Hulmes, was hit with electric probes from the police weapon after barricading himself in his house yesterday.

The incident in Bolton came as an inquiry was launched by the police watchdog into the death of Jacob Michael, 25, who was restrained using pepper spray in Widnes, Merseyside.

 The Independent Police Complaints Commission is also probing how bodybuilder Dale Burns, 27, died after being Tasered several times at his flat in Cumbria last week.

Campaign group Inquest said there had already been five deaths in circumstances that involved police use of force excluding firearms this year - compared with four throughout 2010. More...

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