South African Paralympic and Olympic athlete Oscar Pistorius has been arrested after allegedly shooting his girlfriend dead at his home.

It is believed that Pistorius mistook his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp, who reports say was making a surprise visit on Valentine's Day, for a burglar at his home at the Silverwoods country estate in the capital Pretoria. Ms Steenkamp had been wounded in her head and upper body. Paramedics were at the house when police arrived, but she died at the scene.

Oscar Pistorius, known as the blade runner because he wears carbon fibre prosthetic blades to race, made history at London 2012 last year when he became the first double amputee to run in both the Olympics and Paralympic games, competing in the 400m and 4x400m relay.

Officers found a 9-mm pistol at the scene and took the 26-year-old Pistorius into custody. South African police have now launched a murder investigation.

Written and presented by Alfred Joyner