Brain tumour immigrant held after operation cancelled Published duration 4 June 2015

image copyright other image caption Lorenc Hoxha, shown here in hospital on Monday, had been in the north-east of England for about a month

An Albanian man with a brain tumour has been arrested in hospital on suspicion of an immigration offence, the BBC has learned.

Lorenc Hoxha, 27, was due to have an operation on Tuesday but it was cancelled and the police were called.

Newcastle's Royal Victoria Infirmary said treatment was not urgently needed.

Mr Hoxha's solicitors said he appeared "to have been moved directly from the Intensive Care ward to a police cell" wearing hospital gown and slippers.

"Various diagnostic steps were seemingly not taken, despite him having been prepared for a biopsy, allegedly because of his lack of Leave to Remain in the UK," they said.

Mr Hoxha was diagnosed with a brain tumour at Gateshead's Queen Elizabeth Hospital after having seizures.

He attended the Royal Victoria Infirmary as an outpatient on 1 June, was kept in overnight and told he would have surgery the following day.

The Newcastle Hospitals NHS Trust said "had urgent intervention been called for, the Newcastle Hospitals would have provided it".

"A medical decision was made that his treatment wasn't immediately necessary or urgent and the patient was fit for travel and discharge to seek treatment in his own country," a spokesperson said.

image caption Hairy Biker Si King said it was a matter of "humanity shown to another human being"

North East TV presenter Si King, who has Albanian friends, has offered to pay for the treatment.

"My fear for Lorenc is that he dies," he said.

"Whether he's an illegal immigrant or not. That's not a civilised society that will let another human being die because of systems that administrators adhere to."

The hospital trust said it only called the police when none of a group of friends who arrived on the ward were prepared to take Mr Hoxha to their homes.

None would have him because they feared he would die, the BBC understands.

Northumbria Police said a 27-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of an immigration offence and was later handed over to immigration officers.