POLICE have launched an investigation after a man died after plunging from the roof of IKEA in Southampton.

Emergency services rushed to West Quay Road after the man fell from the top of the giant city-centre homeware store onto the ground below.

Last night officers confirmed that the 56-year-old man from Lee-on-Solent had been pronounced dead at the scene.

Now store managers say they are working with police to support their probe which comes less than a year after a woman also died after falling from the top of the building.

Today officers are making a fresh appeal for anyone who saw the latest incident to contact them immediately.

Shoppers watched in horror as police arrived at the four-storey Swedish department shortly after the man was found at 11.19am.

Officers had initially been called to find him with “serious injuries” but later revealed he died at the scene.

His death is not being treated as suspicious.

An ambulance and crews from Hampshire Fire and Rescue were also called to the scene as police cordoned off an area with blue and white tape and placed a white sheet over an area of the pavement.

Officers were seen studying a dark grey car which was found abandoned on a car park on top of the building.

Emily Adams, 21, was visiting the city from Portsmouth, on a shopping trip.

She said: “We drove past and saw five police cars and an ambulance. We were really shocked at all of this.

“You don’t expect to see it. We were just trying to work out what happened.”

Danielle Pate, 23, also from Portsmouth, who also saw police there, said: “It was definitely shocking.”

His death comes after Anne Marie-Ramsden died after falling from the roof in December last year.

As previously reported a coroner ruled that Ms Ramsden, of Winchester Road, Fair Oak, had taken her own life.

The inquest heard how Ms Ramsden had been working as a sales representative at Amari Plastics in Segensworth since May last year, but had told partner-of-two-years Edward Chilvers that she feared she was going to lose her job.

Witnesses had seen her behaving strangely on top of the building but as they phoned the police for help she fell from the building.

Following her death, IKEA invested in building a fence around the perimeter of the top deck of the car park.

Last night store manager Salma Azad said after the man’s death: “The safety and well-being of our customers and co-workers is our highest priority and following the previous incidents, we invested heavily to install a fence.

“We are currently supporting the local police with their investigation and will continue to look into any further steps that can be taken.

“Our thoughts are with the friends and family of the individual.”

A police spokesman said investigations are continuing and urged witnessed to contact the force on 101, quoting reference 44160423374.

Additional reporting by Aaron Shaw and Ella Griffiths.