Jean-Claude Mas was wanted by Interpol

The owner of a French breast implant maker at the centre of a safety scare has been arrested in the south of France, police sources have said.

Poly Implant Prothese (PIP) founder Jean-Claude Mas was held at a house in Six-Fours-les-Plages, according to the AFP news agency.

France banned PIP implants made with industrial silicone in 2010, and 30,000 women were advised to remove them.

PIP had used low-grade gel in place of specialist medical materials.

The implants have caused concern in Europe and South America due to the risk of them rupturing in the body.

The medical advice in the UK is that there is no need for all the implants to be removed, only those causing problems such as pain or tenderness.

In England, the NHS will only replace them in exceptional circumstances.