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Ashya King: Missing boy with brain tumour found in Spain Ashya King found in Spain as father speaks in video
(about 9 hours later)
A five-year-old boy with a brain tumour whose parents removed him from hospital against medical advice has been found. A five-year-old boy with a brain tumour who was removed from a UK hospital by his parents has been found in Spain.
Ashya King was found in Spain where his parents were arrested and are being questioned, Hampshire Police confirmed. Ashya King was taken to a hospital in Malaga and his parents arrested, Hampshire police said.
They said Ashya showed no visible signs of distress and was taken to hospital. His father Brett King defended his actions in a video posted on YouTube, saying the family were seeking a treatment Ashya had not been offered.
Brett and Naghemeh King took Ashya from hospital in Southampton on Thursday. In a video posted on YouTube, Mr King said they took him to seek a cancer treatment not available on the NHS. His disappearance from Southampton General Hospital on Thursday sparked an international search.
He said the five-year-old was doing well and while there had been "a lot of talk" about a machine used to feed him, Mr King indicated it was operating normally. Hampshire Constabulary said it had obtained a European arrest warrant on the grounds of neglect. The five-year-old had been removed from hospital against medical advice.
It is not yet clear when the video, which shows Mr King sitting on a bed with Ashya, was recorded. In the video Mr King said his son was doing well, indicated a machine used to feed him was operating normally and called for the "ridiculous chase" to be called off.
Situation 'very serious'Situation 'very serious'
The family had been last seen boarding a ferry to France. He said he and his wife, Naghemeh, had been seeking proton beam radiotherapy for Ashya - a treatment that targets tumours directly - because they did not want him to be "pelted with radiation".
In a press conference, Hampshire Assistant Chief Constable Chris Shead said Ashya and his parents were located near Malaga. "Proton beam is so much better for children with brain cancer," Mr King said in the video.
"We don't have many details on Ashya's condition at this point in time, but what we do know is he was showing no visible signs of distress," Mr Shead said. Mr King said the couple had "pleaded" with health authorities in Southampton for Ashya to receive the treatment, but were told it would have "no benefit whatsoever".
He confirmed Mr and Mrs King were arrested and taken to a police station. Southampton General Hospital has not responded to the claims made in the video.
"There are no winners in this situation," he said. The charity Cancer Research UK says proton beam treatment is only available on the NHS in the UK for eye conditions.
It says countries in Europe, Japan and the USA are using or testing the treatment for types of cancer, including spinal cord tumours and cancers of the prostate, lung, liver and brain, as well as some children's cancers.
Mr King said the family was not "neglecting" the boy and Ashya was "responding so much better" than he did in hospital.
What is proton beam therapy?
Sources: NHS England, Cancer Research UK
Speaking after the couple's arrest, Hampshire Assistant Chief Constable Chris Shead said the family had been located near Malaga.
Staff at a hotel in Malaga had recognised the family and alerted police.
He said Ashya had been showing "no visible signs of distress" when he was found by Spanish police with his parents in the family's car, adding: "There are no winners in this situation."
"We've said all along this must be a terribly distressing time for Ashya's family and I stand by that now. I think it's been a dreadful period for them.""We've said all along this must be a terribly distressing time for Ashya's family and I stand by that now. I think it's been a dreadful period for them."
A team of Hampshire Police officers are to travel to Spain on Sunday to continue the investigation. Officers from the UK are due go to Spain to continue the investigation.
But Mr Shead said it was too early to say when Ashya would return to the UK, but Southampton General Hospital has been contacted so it can liaise with doctors taking care of him at the main children's hospital in Malaga. Mr Shead said it was too early to say when Ashya would return to the UK, but Southampton General Hospital has been contacted and would liaise with doctors in Malaga.
'Ridiculous chase' He said it would be a matter for the doctors to decide when he would return to the UK.
A European arrest warrant had been issued for Mr and Mrs King after they took Ashya from Southampton General Hospital. Concerns for his health had grown because he is fed through a complex unit and its batteries, designed only for temporary use are not easily replaced.
Concerns for his health had grown because he is fed through a complex unit and its batteries, designed only for temporary use and not easily replaced, might have run out.
Police had said it was unclear whether Ashya's parents had spare batteries.
In the YouTube video, posted by Ashya's brother Naveed, Mr King said the family was not "neglecting" the boy.
He said Ashya was "responding so much better" than he did in hospital and that the family was hoping to take him abroad for proton beam therapy.
Mr King said he did not want Ashya to be "pelted with radiation" and that he was going to get money to pay for the proton beam therapy, but that had been prevented since the Spanish police became involved.
He urged the authorities to call off "this ridiculous chase".
Mr and Mrs King were arrested using the European arrest warrant obtained by Hampshire Police.
They and Ashya were stopped in the family's Hyundai people carrier.
Police had been alerted by staff at a hotel in Velez Malaga, who recognised the family.
Their other sons and daughters were not in the vehicle.