Brain Tumour Row Ashya Returns To Britain

A five-year-old boy who was taken out of the country because his parents believed he was not receiving the right treatment for his brain tumour has returned to the UK.

Ashya King's removal from Southampton General Hospital without doctors' consent led to an international manhunt.

Now, 10 months later and after receiving proton beam therapy in the Czech Republic capital of Prague, Ashya and his parents, Brett and Naghmeh, are back on British soil.

According to The Sun, Ashya is "excited" to be back and wanted to see his grandmother. The paper reported that his parents have brought their boy home because they no longer fear he will be taken into care so have "no reason to hide".

Mr King, 52, said: "We just have to face up to the situation now. We would like nothing to happen and for us to be able to get on with our lives.

"We shouldn't have to be afraid - and that's why we won't go on living like refugees in a different country for no reason.

"We feel sufficiently assured by Portsmouth City Council that it's all finished. However, we do have a lingering fear that one day we will get a knock on the door."

The family's "conscience is clear" about their decision, he insisted.

Police were brought in to head the international search for Ashya and his parents at the end of August last year and the Kings were arrested in Spain several days later.

They were imprisoned before being released and a High Court judge later approved their request to take Ashya to Prague.

There, he underwent proton therapy, which is said to be a more effective treatment than the radiotherapy offered on the NHS.

The treatment limits the spread of radiation to other vital organs, such as the heart and liver, which in turn should lead to less severe long-term side-effects including heart and breathing problems.

While the therapy was not offered on the NHS, the health service did later agree to fund Ashya's treatment.

Ashya's grandmother, Patricia King, previously described the authorities' handling of the case as a "huge injustice".