Britons killed in French forest blaze

Two British holidaymakers have died in forest fires sweeping southern France.

The pair, thought to be elderly hikers, were reported missing near the village of Vidauban in the Maures mountain range, about 15 miles north of the coastal resort St Tropez, a spokesman for the Foreign Office said.

French police found two bodies but they had not been identified, he said.

The spokesman said: "We have no confirmation at the moment of the nationality of the deceased.

"Our consular officials in France are urgently seeking confimration from the French authorities."

He said the missing pair's next-of-kin were being kept informed of developments.

Two other people are thought to have fallen victim to the fires yesterday. The body of a woman was found near the coastal town of Sainte Maxime and a Polish man also died.

The fires have forced thousands of residents and holiday makers to flee the region as dry weather and soaring temperatures have created tinderbox conditions.

Some 400 firefighters and a similar number of troops were battling the fires in the area.