Brit arrested on suspicion of starting forest fire

The 43-year-old allegedly lit a small fire to burn rubbish near the forest at Nerja.

But high winds and the dry ground helped fan the flames, and authorities sent fire engines and helicopters to tackle the blaze today.

The fire affected part of an area known in Spanish as Cerro de San Isidro, a small rocky hill between two rivers near Nerja on the eastern end of the Costa del Sol.

A shrine to San Isidro, the patron saint of farmers, is on top of the hill.

Residents in rural farmhouses in the area were unhurt and didn’t need to evacuate their properties.

But the plume of smoke was visible from several miles for around two hours today.

The Brit was with a second person whose nationality is not known and was not arrested.

He was held after several witnesses identified him as the person whose alleged negligence led to the out-of-control blaze.

He has been described as an expat rather than a holidaymaker.