Oscar-winning director Roman Polanski has been arrested in Switzerland, while travelling to collect a lifetime achievement award. The organisers of the Zurich Film Festival, where Polanski was due to receive the accolade, commented that they had "learned of his arrest with great dismay and sadness".

The arrest is in connection to his 31 year old US arrest warrant, which followed his guilty plea to unlawful sexual intercourse with a 13 year old girl. The 76 year old director, who helmed classics such as Rosemary's Baby and Chinatown, has long been a fugitive of the USA after fleeing the country before his sentence.

Polanski has since sought dismissal of the case on grounds of misconduct, but was told by California Judge Peter Espinoza that he must return to the US to have his request heard. He has avoided setting foot in countries that have extradition treaties with the US, such as the UK, for the past 30 years.

The festival organisers announced that the tribute evening would go ahead, “to allow everyone to express their solidarity for Roman Polanski and their admiration for his work.” The award will be postponed "indefinitely". Roman Polanski won an Oscar for The Pianist in 2002. The award was collected on his behalf by Harrison Ford.