The mayor of the Polish city of Gdansk has died in hospital a day after being stabbed at a charity event.

Pawel Adamowicz, 53, was attacked on stage in front of hundreds of people on Sunday.

He was hospitalised for serious abdominal injuries and underwent five hours of surgery.

A 27-year-old with a criminal record has been arrested over the attack. Police believe he used a media pass to gain access to the stage.

Local television footage showed the suspect, who was recently released from prison, brandishing a weapon and shouting.

He reportedly said “Adamowicz is dead” and that the Civic Platform party, which led the previous government and had supported Mr Adamowicz’s re-election, had wrongfully imprisoned him.

He said he had been tortured behind bars.

Poland’s health minister on Monday confirmed Mr Adamowicz had died from his injuries.

“We couldn’t win,” Lukasz Szumowski told local media.

The mayor was attacked while attending the Great Orchestra of Christmas charity – an annual event where volunteers raise money for medical equipment in hospitals.