A North-East man died yesterday in a fire at his family's apartment home in the resort town of Fuengirola, on Spain's Costa del Sol.

Paul Burgess, 19, from Middlesbrough, was believed to have been asphyxiated by smoke in the kitchen blaze.

His parents and six other members of the family were treated for the effects of smoke.

Neighbours raised the alarm at 7.45am when they saw smoke pouring from a window of the flat.

Local police said it was believed Mr Burgess had returned home in the early hours and started to cook a supper before falling asleep.

Members of his family were said to be too upset to talk about the accident yesterday.