The £500,000 healthcare bill owed to a UK hospital by the Libyan father of sextuplets is to be paid by his bosses.

Following a meeting with the NHS trust, the Libyan Oil Sector confirmed that, under the terms of its sponsorship, it would meet the costs associated with Jamal Abuhelfaia and his family.

Chief executive of the Newcastle Hospitals NHS Trust, Len Fenwick, said the matter had been resolved to everyone's satisfaction.

He said: "The NHS dealt with the acute clinical needs of the mother and babies in the first instance, and postponed the financial aspect to a more appropriate time.

"The representative of the Libyan Oil Sector has been very forthcoming in notifying the trust of their liability and responsibility for the financial element of the healthcare provided."

The 38-year-old engineer and his wife, Fowzia Adala, arrived in the UK on July 10 after undergoing fertility treatment in their own country, despite the expectant mother being advised not to fly, for fear that she would go into premature labour.

Mr Abuhelfaia obtained a visa after being offered a place on two different courses at the University of Northumbria, one of them sponsored through Libyan Oil Sector, of which his employer, Agip Oil, is a partner.

It required the expertise of two consultants, six paediatricians and six specialist nurses to deliver the sextuplets, who were born less than a month later at Newcastle's Royal Victoria Infirmary.

The weakest sextuplet, a girl the couple named Reem, died three days later as a result of her premature birth.

But the surviving three girls and two boys are progressing well and are out of intensive care.

Mr Fenwick said: "These are exceptional circumstances, acknowledged by the Libyan Oil Sector. They do not wish to see the NHS in any way disadvantaged."