Brett and Naghmeh King have walked free from custody after withdrawal of arrests warrants

Brett and Naghmeh King have walked free from custody and were expected to rush to the side of their seriously-ill five year old today after a 200-mile journey from Madrid.

They were faced with a media scrum as they walked from Soto de Real prision to a car which was waiting to whisk them away last night.

It is thought the couple may have stopped to visit their lawyer to sign legal papers before continuing their journey.

Mr King spoke of his relief to be free and how they were desperate to see their son.

He added: ''We are very grateful to Spain for the support and help we have received.

''We will go to see my son as soon as possible, we have been dying to see his face for so long.

'"Thank you to Spain for helping us and thank you to England too.''

Ashya King

It is understood they are heading to Seville to meet with their lawyer, where they are expected to hold a press conference tomorrow morning, before going to see Ashya.

The five-year-old's brother Danny had earlier confirmed his parents release adding: ''I'm in shock, at the moment, we've been waiting so long for this moment to come, and it's finally come.''

The National Court in Madrid said in a statement that a judge had decided to free the couple after British authorities dropped the case against them.

The father of Ethan Dallas, the teenager who presented a 126,000-signature petition to Downing Street today to get the King's released, said he had received a call from his son confirming the breaking news.

Richard told the Daily Echo: “He is trying to contact him so that they can Skype and talk face to face.

“It’s been a roller coaster.

“What we wanted to accomplish has been done.

“It’s now about getting the lad better.

“This isn’t a journey that has reached its destination but now we can focus on raising the funds to help towards the cost of his treatment.”

It comes just hours after the arrest warrant that has been keeping the parents away from Ashya had been  withdrawn.

A spokesman for the service which initially requested the warrant, said that following a review of the case lawyers in Hampshire had decided to withdrawn it.

The CPS have been given approval by Southampton Magistrates Court have the warrant officially dropped.

• Read the full CPS statement - click here

That development is now being communicated to the Spanish authorities in time for the extradition hearing that is scheduled to be held in Madrid tomorrow morning.

A statement by the CPS read: ''The CPS is currently taking steps to withdraw the European arrest warrants in relation to Brett and Naghmeh King.

''No further action will be taken against Mr and Mrs King and we are now in the process of communicating this decision to the Spanish authorities so that they can be reunited with their son as soon as possible.''

It could mean that Ashya's parents Brett and Naghmeh King could be reunited with their son tomorrow.

The decision to drop the warrant has been welcomed by Simon Hayes, Police and Crime Commissioner for Hampshire.

He said: “The Crown Prosecution Service has made the correct decision to withdraw the European Arrest Warrant. Now Mr and Mrs King can be reunited with Ashya and other members of their family.

“This is a very complex situation and I understand why Hampshire Constabulary took the action it did to request the issuing of the warrant. In light of today's announcement by the CPS, I now need to be assured as to the quality of the information given by Southampton General Hospital to Hampshire Constabulary.

Hampshire Police and Crime Commissioner Simon Hayes

“Now that Ashya is receiving the medical assistance he requires and Mr and Mrs King will be reunited with him, this is the time to analyse decisions that were made.

“What is important is that the Ashya's family can continue with their quest to get the medical support that he requires.”

The move by the CPS comes after mounting pressure to drop the case to allow Ashya to have his parents by his bedside in Malaga.

It came hours after a petition signed by more than 100,000 people was presented to the Prime Minister.

More than 200,000 people signed it and more than £25,000 had been donated to cancer charity kidsncancer.

Sanjay Ganatra, who presented the petition along with a family friend Ethan Dallas, said it had been “a really successful day”.

Sanjay Ganatra

He said: “The fact that they have withdrawn the arrest is brilliant. Hopefully the Spanish authorities will do something about it. We're really hoping that they will let go free.”

But despite the outcome Sanjay is still not happy with the situation Ashya's family is in.

He said: “I'm relieved but I'm not happy because they're still in jail and they should be with their child. Whilst it's brilliant what we've achieved today, whilst the arrest warrant's been lifted, I'm just hoping that the authorities will do everything they can to allow Ashya to be with his parents. That's when I will be happy.”

David Cameron called for a ''rapid outbreak of common sense'' to allow brain tumour patient Ashya to be reunited with his parents who were arrested in Spain after Ashya was taken from Southampton General Hospital without doctors' consent.

This afternoon Mr Cameron tweeted: “I welcome the prosecution against #AshyaKings parents being dropped. It is important that this little boy gets treatment & the love of his family.”

Meanwhile, hospital bosses in Malaga have said they would change their visiting hours that would now allow Ashya's brother David to be able to visit his sick brother.

The children's grandmother Patricia King said at least Ashya would be able to see a familiar face.

Now at least Danny can see him any time he wants, at least that will help. At least he has someone he loves with him and he won't be on his own.”

She also accused Southampton General Hospital and Hampshire police of backtracking.

As previously reported medical bosses released a statement earlier today in which they said they would support Ashya receiving the proton beam treatment that his family had been pushing for.

And last night hospital chiefs for the first time laid bare their reasons for being so concerned for Ashya’s safety.
University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust (UHS) outlined the six reasons why medics felt the young boy’s life was at risk.
These were:

- Ashya was dependent on a nasogastric tube for food and his parents are not trained to use it.

- Although the food pump had been removed with Ashya, the power cord had been left behind on the ward. The feed pump does have a battery but it is only for occasional use

- If a nasogastric tube became displaced either accidentally or through vomiting there was a possibility that feed could enter the lungs with potentially fatal consequences.

- Ashya has no gag reflex and the family are not trained to deal with the (potentially serious) complications of choking.

- Ashya developed a temperature the previous day and there were concerns that he may develop an infection.

- Ashya needed to start his chemotherapy within the week to ensure the best chances of complete recovery.

Hampshire's Chief Constable also released a letter which he had written to colleagues in the CPS, Southampton general Hospital and the Home Office in which he called for the parents to be reunited with Ashya.