Doctors at a hospital in north-west London have begun treating a Briton who contracted Ebola in Sierra Leone.

William Pooley, seen here, worked as a volunteer for The Shepherd's Hospice in Sierra Leone before he moved to serve on an Ebola treatment ward

William Pooley, a 29-year-old volunteer nurse, was described by a charity he worked for as a "hero".

Mr Pooley was flown to RAF Northolt in a specially equipped military aircraft on Sunday and taken under police escort to Hampstead's Royal Free Hospital.

He volunteered to go to care for victims of the Ebola outbreak which has killed almost 1,500 people.

His is the first confirmed case of a Briton contracting the virus during the current outbreak.

'Remarkable man'

Mr Pooley, believed to be from near Woodbridge in Suffolk, was flown out of Sierra Leone's main airport in Lungi, in a RAF C-17 transport aircraft.

He will be treated in a specialist isolation unit for patients with highly infectious disease, the only one of its kind in Europe.

A special tent ensures medical staff can interact with the patient but are separated by plastic and rubber.

Mr Pooley had worked as a volunteer providing palliative care at The Shepherd's Hospice in Sierra Leone from March until July.

He then requested to be relocated to the Kenema Government Hospital to serve on the Ebola treatment ward, after he heard reports that patients were being abandoned when health workers died from the virus.

Gabriel Madiye, the executive director of The Shepherd's Hospice, said Mr Pooley had been aware of the risks, but was determined to work there.

"We consider him a hero," he said. "Somebody who is sacrificing to provide care in very difficult circumstances - when our own health workers are running away."

There is no cure for Ebola but with treatment of the symptoms, and proper hydration, patients have a chance of survival.

Prof Jonathan Ball, a virologist at Nottingham University, said there would be immediate testing to ensure all organs were functioning.

"He really is in the best place and will have the best possible care," he said.

Source: BBC