Many of the 400,000 British people living in Spain have been left in financial ruin following the banking crisis. And as the future of the euro is plunged into deeper uncertainty, they are desperate to get back to the UK.
Dennis Powell sold his holiday home near Alicante this year amid fears for the Euro economy
Dennis and Christina Powell have always loved Spain. Over the years they had gone there on holiday many times.
They love its people, culture and climate so much that in 1999, after retirement, they decided to buy a three-bedroom apartment in Torrevieja on the Costa Blanca. It cost them £36,000.
For nine years they escaped the British winter and headed off to their Spanish retreat in the sun.
But in 2008, with the international banking crisis, everything changed.
Suddenly their UK savings and pensions bought a third less after the pound plunged against the euro.
And the property boom came to an end, leaving parts of Spain desolate.
The couple put their once much-loved property on the market — where it remained for more than three years.
They finally sold in February. In that time, property prices slumped by almost 70 per cent — eating into what equity they had built up.
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