British couple among 13 people killed in Spanish wildfires as daughters ‘heartbroken’

Pete and Fran Gillam have been confirmed as two British nationals were among 13 victims killed in the fire that tore through Almeria as their daughters have paid tribute

The daughters of a British couple who were missing in the wildfires in Spain have issued a heartbreaking update after their calls to them went unanswered.

Pete and Fran Gillam have now been pictured for the first time after it was tragically confirmed they were among 13 victims killed in the fire that tore through Almeria.

The couple were last heard from on Thursday (July 9) in a text message to their daughter, Danielle Gillam-Kirton, at around 7pm. The couple told their daughter that they were being forced to evacuate, but they never messaged family again. Police later confirmed to the family that the couple had died in the wildfires.

Daughters Danielle Gillam-Kirton and Natalie Gillam Lindsay have now paid a heartbreaking tribute to their parents in a post on Facebook. The daughters had been posting appeals regarding their parents whereabouts in the days before news of their deaths had been confirmed.

The post said: “Natalie Gillam Lindsay and I are heartbroken to share that we have received confirmation from the police that Mum and Dad did not survive the fire.

We are still trying to come to terms with this devastating news and ask for some privacy and time as we process everything. Thank you for all your love, support, and prayers over the past few days. They have meant more to us than we can ever express. We will share further details when we are able.”

It comes as a 93-year-old British woman died after being injured in the devastating wildfires that swept through southern Spain, authorities said.

The Andalusian government said the woman was taken to hospital on Friday after suffering burns to about 20% of her body.

Her death was confirmed on Sunday afternoon, bringing the total number of fatalities from the fires to 13.

At least four are thought to be British, after four bodies were found in a burnt-out car with its steering wheel on the right. It follows news on Sunday that two British hikers were found alive but badly burned.

The man and woman, who have not been identified, are thought to have suffered 40% burns, according to Spanish national broadcaster, RTVE.

The pair were discovered by a team of Civil Guards, who said they had already checked the area, but had a feeling that they should go back.

In an interview with RTVE, the Civil Guard officers said they found the two British people alive just as night was falling.

Sergeant Pedro Barre told the broadcaster: “That experience we accumulate over the years is what tells you: take another look, give it one last try, check again just in case.”

He said they called out and used whistles, before eventually hearing a sound which they thought at first could have been an echo.

Another of the rescuers, Rafael Zea, said that given the couple’s injuries, it must have taken a “Titanic effort” for them to raise their voices to be heard.

With the help of firefighters and emergency services, they were rescued after more than two hours. The pair are now said to be in a serious condition in hospital, although their lives are not believed to be in danger.

Spanish authorities believe all the victims were foreign tourists, who are thought to have attempted to escape on foot after apparently abandoning their vehicles and trying to flee through rugged terrain.

Antonio Sanz, head of Andalusia’s emergency services, previously said that authorities had completed post-mortem examinations and DNA samples were collected to identify them.

Spain has suffered frequent and severe heatwaves in recent years, with temperatures often exceeding 40C.

In June, Spain experienced several days of record-setting heat, with more than 1,000 excess deaths attributed to heat.

For the latest breaking news and stories from across the globe from the Daily Star, sign up for our newsletters.