A 29-year-old man from the North-East was killed in a road accident just hours into his holiday in Spain.

Jonathan Thompson died instantly after his hire car crashed head-on with a lorry on the Costa Brava.

The incident happened in the early hours of Friday and police said he had flown into Barcelona late on Thursday.

The crash happened at 2.30am the next day, 170 miles south of the city, near Cabanes, just inland from the popular holiday coast.

It is thought Mr Thompson, from Yarm, near Stockton, was driving along the N-II road, the national route along the coast, but the tragic crash happened further inland.

The driver of the lorry received minor injuries.

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office has been informed of the accident. A spokesman said: “We can confirm the death of a British national, Jonathan Thompson, in Cabanes, Alt Empordà, in the early hours of Friday, November 4.

“We are providing consular assistance to the family.”

* To leave a tribute to Mr Thompson, callour Yarm reporter Chris Webber on 01325-505079.