A police force will be probed over its handling of stalking allegations made by a woman who was murdered by her jealous ex-boyfriend.

The Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) said it would carry out an independent investigation into the actions of Northumbria Police before the death of Alice Ruggles.

The 24-year-old twice complained to police in the days before she was killed by Lance Corporal Trimaan "Harry" Dhillon in October last year.

Dhillon was jailed for life at Newcastle Crown Court in April after being convicted of stalking his former partner, breaking into her Gateshead flat and cutting her neck open from ear to ear.

The IPCC had instructed Northumbria Police to carry out a local investigation, which did not find evidence of misconduct by any individual officer.

But the police watchdog said there were "rare" occasions when cases required "further consideration".

IPCC commission delegate Ian Tolan said: "The IPCC received a referral from Northumbria Police after a domestic homicide review of their investigation into Alice's murder.

"The referral identified some potential conduct matters and, following careful assessment, an independent investigation is now under way.

"The specific details around the scope of the investigation, which is in its early stages, are still being finalised but it will look at the force's response following Alice's initial call to police regarding stalking and harassment by Trimaan Dhillon.

"Though rare, there are occasions when, following a local investigation, we feel a matter requires further consideration and it would be appropriate to investigate this independently."

He added: "We recognise that our investigation, to some extent, reopens this most tragic case.

"We have discussed our investigation with Alice's family and our thoughts are with them as we carry out our work."