Senior police and press officers are under investigation after complaints they deliberately misled the public over the death of Ian Tomlinson during the G20 protests.

In a move that escalated the controversy around police involvement in Tomlinson's death last month, the Independent Police Complaints Commission announced today it had launched a new inquiry into "media handling" by the Metropolitan police and City of London police.

The announcement followed a complaint by Tomlinson's family last week about information released by police about his death. The investigation could result in disciplinary action for misconduct or criminal charges.