article: Ashya King was taken out of Southampton General Hospital by his mother and father against medical advice. Hampshire Police believe he may have been taken to Spain and police are at a Marbella property owned by the family. Officers said they now thought his family had "taken steps to be able to feed him". It was unclear precisely what they meant but Hampshire Assistant Chief Constable Chris Shead added: "The feeding system that Ashya needs and the other associated medical care is complex, and I would appeal to Ashya's family not to think that they are able to administer this care themselves." It is feared the battery on his medical feeding unit, which is designed only for temporary use and is not easy to replace, has now run out. He said it was unclear whether Ashya's parents had spare batteries. "Without properly administered food Ashya's situation is very serious," he said. Ashya and his family were last seen on a ferry to France on Thursday evening. Mr Shead cautioned it was possible the family may not have travelled on to Spain and asked people across Europe to remain vigilant. According to Ian Pople, a consultant neurosurgeon, the battery in the feeding machine used by Ashya can't be changed easily. It is integrated within the machine, much like an iPhone, and it means the machine has to be taken apart to replace the battery. It's also not designed to be run on batteries for a long period and is usually plugged into the mains. In other words, it's only battery-reliant for short periods, such as going to the toilet, or moving between wards. Although the arrest warrant was "based around neglect", Mr Shead said this did not necessarily mean the parents would be charged with that offence. "It purely gives us the power to arrest and then we will be able to speak to them," he said. Ashya's paternal grandmother, Patricia King, said the couple were "wonderful" and had been distraught at their child's illness. Ms King, who lives in Southsea, said her son was "the most caring and wonderful father you could ever have". She also praised her daughter-in-law, saying she had kept a bedside vigil while Ashya was in hospital. "We are a very close family," she said. Mr Shead said his force was considering sending officers from Hampshire to assist Spanish police in Marbella. He also thanked the Spanish authorities for their help with the search for the family and urged any medical professionals to be on the lookout for the family. Mr Shead said the latest information was "positive", adding: "There have been widespread media alerts across Europe. "We would now encourage anyone with links to Spain particularly, to also help us spread the appeal via social media." Interpol has issued a missing persons alert to all 190 of its member countries and said it was treating all information on the case as "high priority". Brett King, 51, and Naghemeh King, 45, removed Ashya from the ward on Thursday. A spokesman for the hospital, which contacted police six hours
summary: A European arrest warrant has been issued for the parents of a five-year-old boy with a brain tumour, missing from hospital since Thursday.