LONDON (AFP) - British prosecutors said on Tuesday that they were "taking steps to withdraw" an arrest warrant against the parents of Ashya King after they fled the country with the boy, who has a brain tumour.

Prime Minister David Cameron immediately welcomed the move on his Twitter feed, saying: "I welcome the prosecution against #AshyaKing's parents being dropped. It's important this little boy gets treatment & the love of his family."

The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), which oversees criminal prosecutions in England and Wales, said that it was dropping the warrants against Brett and Naghemeh King, who are currently in custody in Spain.

"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," the CPS added in a statement.