Claims that a murdered father could have been alive if officers properly responded to an earlier attack on his life will now be investigated by the UK's police watchdog.

Peter Woodhams, a 22-year-old father of one, was shot dead after confronting youths near his house in Canning Town, east London, on Monday.

In January he was stabbed in his neck - some believe by the same gang.

The Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) said it would examine the Met's response to the stabbing.

The Met "voluntarily referred" the matter to the watchdog, an IPCC spokesman said.

Mr Woodhams' fiancee, Jane Bowden, 23, said she phoned police every day for five weeks after the first attack, but no-one even took a statement from her.

She added that several people anonymously gave names and addresses to police of youths heard boasting about the stabbing.

"They (the gang) were always taunting us, watching me walking home with Sam and smirking," Miss Bowden told the Evening Standard. "They knew they had stabbed Peter and got away with it. They thought they were untouchable."

No arrests were made following the stabbing.

"There has been considerable public concern about this case," said David Petch, the IPCC commissioner.

"I therefore decided our own investigators should look at the police's response to the stabbing incident in January.

"The family have made no formal complaint. However, we will be offering to meet them to explain our role in this investigation and listen to any concerns they have."

The IPCC will not investigate the current police inquiry into the murder, Mr Petch said.

In a separate investigation, the Met Police Authority (MPA) asked Met chief Sir Ian Blair for a report on the response to the stabbing. It will be handed over at the end of the IPCC inquiry.

The commissioner will also give an oral update on both the murder and stabbing inquiries, as well as steps taken to reassure the local community, at an MPA committee meeting next Friday.

On Monday evening Mr Woodhams returned home after being harassed by youths in a nearby shopping street.

The television satellite engineer went back outside, apparently to challenge them, but was shot in the chest just around the corner in Leslie Road.

He staggered home, only to collapse in front of his fiancee and their three-year-old son Sam.

A 14-year-old boy has been questioned and later released on bail.