The heartbroken sister of a man who died in an incident in a York jewellers has paid tribute to her brother and vowed to “make sure his memory stays alive.”

Sam Diatta, 39, died last month following being restrained after an incident in Mappin and Webb on Coney Street.

Four men have been arrested following Mr Diatta’s death on July 26 and are currently on police bail.

Téba Diatta, 40, from York, has spoken of the outpouring of support the family have had since Mr Diatta’s death.

Teba Diatta (left) with her brother Sam, who died last month in an incident in a York jewellers

The family are unable to arrange Mr Diatta’s funeral while the North Yorkshire Police (NYP) investigation into the cause of death is ongoing in a situation Ms Diatta called “a no man’s land.”

Speaking to the Yorkshire Post, Ms Diatta, 40, said: “Sam was a good man and I want him to have a legacy.

“We’ve had over 100 cards and 25 bouquets of flowers.

“We were born 17 months apart and people often thought we were twins. At school Sam was really good at sport, and on the cricket and rugby team.

“He was a kind soul, so gentle. He could be quiet and in his late teens and early twenties he developed mental health problems.

“He was lovely. Very generous. Everyone loved him - they called him Smiley Sam, he had a lovely smile.

“When we were teenagers, he created a skate park on land behind our house, he did all the joinery for it himself and he was known as ‘Sam with the skatepark.

“He loved music, especially Christian music, and was a fan of Coldplay.

“I’m now making sure his memory stays alive.

“I want him to become a beacon of light.”

Ms Diatta last saw her brother the morning of the day he died, and enjoyed a family picnic together with their mother Judy and father Georges in York’s Homestead Park.

The family plan to start a fundraiser for mental health charities in memory of Mr Diatta.

Earlier this week, North Yorkshire Police confirmed the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) will not be investigating their actions following the incident.

The referral to the IOPC was in line with standard procedure when someone dies following police attendance at an incident.

Mr Diatta was found unresponsive when police arrived at Mappin and Webb following the 999 call on the day of the incident. He was taken to hospital and pronounced dead shortly after arrival. The police have described the incident as “very tragic” and confirmed no evidence of a robbery.

An NYP spokesperson said: “As with any unexpected death of this nature, a police investigation is required to establish the facts, to establish whether or not there is any criminality relating to the death, and to get the answers for Mr Diatta’s family and for those involved in the incident, and for the Coroner.

As this is a live investigation, I am unable to provide any further information at this time, but we are pursuing a number of lines of investigation which may take a number of weeks to conclude."

Sam Diatta: Heartbroken sister vows to keep "memory alive" of man who died in York jewellers restraining incident