An Iranian man who walked into a police station and demanded to be deported has said he did so because he is "fed up" of living in Manchester.

Arash Aria was arrested after telling officers he had been staying in the UK illegally for 10 years but he was later released when immigration checks found he did have permission to live in the country.

Greater Manchester Police (GMP) described the episode as "strange".

The 25-year-old told the Daily Telegraph: "The people of Manchester have not been welcoming. It's words, violence, many things.

"I try to ignore people but I'm fed up now. I don't get the respect I should here. People are not friendly here in Manchester. When they are rude to me, I don't like it.

"Particularly in the last year it's got really bad. I try to be friendly and polite. But they just laugh at me because I am foreign and look at me strangely."

Mr Aria, who said he is unemployed and on benefits after having worked as a waiter and barman, is hoping to renew his expired Iranian passport and return to Shiraz, in south-west Iran.

He added he wanted to "be somebody".

The incident was revealed in a series of tweets from GMP's city centre account.

The tweets said: "Male arrested earlier at our front desk when he demanded to be returned home to Iran as he has had enough of Manchester after 10 years.

"Very angry young man, who has been here illegally last 10 years, strange incident."

In an update later, officers tweeted: "Man arrested demanding deportation (fed up after 10 yrs in Manchester) may have to find own way home; was released after immigration liaison.

"Checks with the immigration enforcement team, revealed that the man had indefinite leave to stay in the country."