The family of a pensioner, who died after discovering his home had been ransacked by thieves, have urged witnesses to contact the police.

Stanley Amarasinghe went into cardiac arrest and died after returning to his home in Beckford Road, Woodside, with his children to discover it had been burgled.

The 67-year-old had taken his sister to the cemetery and had also taken his three sons aged 16, 14 and 12, to drum practice at the Buddhist Temple in Selsdon on Monday, before returning home.

Thousands of pounds worth of Indian gold and savings of more than £2,000 were taken in the burglary.

Mr Amarasinghe who was born in Sri Lanka, suffered from a heart condition and is believed to have undergone a triple heart-bypass last year.

A post-mortem examination gave the cause of death as heart failure.

His youngest son Kevin said: "My dad and my brothers and I had been out the whole day, when we came home my brother opened the front door and we had been robbed.

"They took our jewellery- Indian gold and money. My dad went upstairs, looked in the bedroom and when he came down he lay on the armchair and had a heart attack.

"The thieves didn't just take my house away, they took my dad as well. He was a lovely man, always helping his family and others and he loved his children. If anyone has information call the police."

Mr Amarasinghe's nephew Cecil Perera, 38, said: "He had taken my mum to the cemetery to lay flowers for her son, my twin brother, who died 11 years ago that day.

"We are so upset to lose him, he was a wonderful man. It is even more sad because of how it happened. I hope these burglars get caught and we get justice, hopefully the police will find something."

Mr Amarasinghe's sister Enid Perara, 68, from Shirley, said: "I am devastated. I am so upset and I cannot believe I have lost my brother on the same day I lost my son."

Family friend Daya Ratnam added: "It is very sad, every cupboard and drawer was on the floor. They had found the ladder and went up into the loft, they ripped all the insulation away and the cupboard on the stairs.

"His eldest son Gayan had been saving £2 coins to buy a car. He had between £2,000 and £3,000 saved and they took it.

"Stanley was a wonderful man and his home was ripped to pieces by these animals, they need to be caught. Please if you have information, contact the police."

No arrests have been made in connection with the burglary.

Anyone with information should call Detective Sergeant Parker on 0203 276 2179 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.