A MAN has died after trying to climb through a glass door panel after locking himself out of his house.

Billy Gibson, 60, of Leam Gardens, Wardley, Gateshead, became trapped in the panel and was found dead by a relative who called at the house at 10pm on Friday.

A police spokesman said the panel was off the ground and it appeared Mr Gibson was standing on something in order to climb through the door.

He said: "But the thing he was standing on looks like it fell away and he slipped and got trapped in the glass panel."

Police called firefighters to help release the body from the door frame.

The exact cause of death is not known but police said they are not treating it as suspicious.