Police in India have arrested a man in connection with the death of a 114-year-old British runner in a hit-and-run accident.

Fauja Singh – believed to be the oldest in the world to complete a marathon – was hit by a car on Monday while crossing a road during a trip to his birth village of Beas Pind in Punjab, India.

He suffered severe head injuries and was taken to hospital where he later died.

Police investigating the incident have arrested a 26-year-old man for allegedly hitting him with a car.

The accused, named by the outlet as Amritpal Singh Dhillon, said that he learnt about the death of Mr Singh through the news.

During a news conference, senior police officer Harvinder Singh Virk suggested the accused was speeding at the time of the collision.

His Toyota Fortuner was identified using CCTV footage and parts of the vehicle were allegedly found at the scene.

Singh had lived in Ilford in east London since 1992, and become an inspiration for countless athletes by running marathons beyond his 100th birthday.

His athletic achievements were made even more remarkable considering he suffered from thin and weak legs as a child – and couldn’t walk until he was five years old.

Singh’s maiden marathon in London was in 2000, with a time of six hours and 54 minutes – 58 minutes faster than other runners of a comparable age.

After serving as a torchbearer at the London 2012 Olympics aged 101, he retired.