Spanish rescuers search for British women missing after late-night swim

Spanish rescue teams are searching for two British women who are missing after going for a late-night swim in the sea.

The UK's Foreign Office confirmed two British nationals have disappeared from the town of Lloret de Mar, a popular tourist hotspot on the Costa Brava.

Rescue services were alerted at 4.15am on Thursday after the two women, aged 33 and 36, failed to return from their swim.

A spokesman from the Salvamento Maritimo, the maritime search and rescue service, said: "We have mobilised helicopters and boats to look for the two missing British women. They are aged 33 and 36.

"We were called at 4.17am. The weather and the conditions of the sea are very bad.

"We know the women are in danger in the sea. We don't know why they went for a swim."

The missing pair were with a larger group of women who alerted emergency services when they failed to return from the water, according to reports.

A Foreign Office spokesman said: "We can confirm that two British nationals were reported missing in Lloret de Mar on 1st October.

"We are in touch with the local authorities and have offered consular assistance."