A former champion boxer jailed for smuggling millions of cigarettes is dying in his prison cell.

Desmond Southern, 49, has been given 18 months to live after being diagnosed with lung cancer.

But he is 12 months into a five-and-a-half year jail sentence after being convicted of smuggling 72 million cigarettes – costing the country £11m in unpaid duty.

His son is now pleading with jail officials to release him early to allow him to spend what remains of his life at the families Larch View Road home in Moorclose.

Curtis Southern, said: "They released Ronnie Biggs when he was diagnosed with a terminal illness and that's all I want for my Dad.

"He is a dying man but he is locked up in a cell every night with nothing but a thin blanket to try and keep warm."

Southern senior was locked up last February after an investigation by HM Revenue and Customs revealed he, his son, and five other men were smuggling and dealing in illegal, non-duty paid and counterfeit cigarettes and tobacco products.

Surveillance revealed that Desmond Southern was in effect the leader and was jailed for conspiracy to evade duty and deal in illegal tobacco products.

But six months into his prison stretch, Southern, who fought 122 professional fights, started becoming breathless and began coughing up blood.

Last month he was diagnosed with lung cancer and underwent two operations to remove a tumour from his neck and a further operation to help blood flow between his head and body.

He has also started a 12-week course of palliative chemotherapy, but is continuing to be held at Buckley Hall Prison in Rochdale.

Curtis added: "Me and my dad are like brothers and I just want him to come home to enjoy what live he has left.

"He is a dying man being kept in prison for tax evasion with murderers and paedophiles.

"Every night we worry that something will happen and he will pass away in a cold prison cell alone."

Desmond, who fought under the name Des Gargano, won 32 fights, lost 87 and drew three during a professional career which saw him face the likes of Prince Naseem Hamed in the ring.

A Prison Service spokesperson said they would only consider releasing a prisoner with a terminal illness if death was likely to occur within three months.

They added: "We do not discuss the cases of individual prisoners but the criteria for early release on medical grounds includes where the prisoner is suffering from a terminal illness and death is likely to occur within three months and further imprisonment would endanger the prisoner's life.

"We also need to ensure that the release of a prisoner meeting the criteria would not put the public at risk."