Police on the Isle of Man are investigating the island's first case of possible assisted suicide. A man aged 60 has been arrested following the discovery last week of the body of 58-year-old Charles Tate.

Police said Mr Tate's death was being treated as suicide and that another man, from the capital, Douglas, had been arrested and released on bail. Officers have not named the man arrested.

It is the first time that anyone on the island has been arrested for the crime of aiding, abetting or assisting a sui cide. But members of the Manx parliament have set up a committee to consider legalising euthanasia.

Under the proposed legislation, only those living on the island, which is 70 miles off the north-west coast of England, would be able to die with the help of a medically trained professional.

The euthanasia debate began after John Rimington, a member of the House of Keys, was granted leave to introduce a bill to "enable a competent adult who is suffering as a result of a terminal or serious and progressive physical illness, to receive medical assistance to die at his own considered and persistent request".

The bill is also to "make provision for a person suffering from such a condition to receive pain-relief medication".

Mr Tate, was a retired accounts clerk. He was married with three children and had seven grandchildren. He was not known to have suffered a life-threatening illness.

His funeral took place on the island on Wednesday.

An inquest into Mr Tate's death has been opened and adjourned. The coroner, Michael Moyle, described it as an unusual death.