Two bombs explode at Spanish tourist hotels

Two terrorist bombs exploded today in one of Spain's most popular tourist areas.

Eight people were slightly injured after the bombs exploded within minutes of each other on the Costa Blanca. One of the injured was a British student, Ellie Carr, aged 20. She needed 20 stitches after being caught in a blast that rocked a hotel in Alicante, where she was studying Spanish.

The blasts were at the Nadal hotel on the Levante beach in Benidorm and at the Hotel Residencia Bahia in central Alicante.

Police had earlier evacuated the areas after a telephone caller claiming to represent the Basque terrorist group Eta told the Basque newspaper Gara the explosions would take place at 12.30pm local time.

"None of our holidaymakers have been involved and as far as we know no British companies have people at either hotel," said a spokesman for the UK's biggest tour operator Thomson Holidays.

He went on: "We are advising our clients in the area to be vigilant."

Those injured were believed to be four policemen and people on a building site next to the blast in Alicante.