Britons flee as fires sweep Cyprus

Hundreds of Britons were pre paring to flee their holiday homes on Cyprus today as the worst forest fires ever seen on the Mediterranean island threatened to engulf villages.

At the centre is an inferno on a hill area above the coastal resort of Limassol. The flames were raging through vineyards and orchards close to the village of Lania, where a number of British artists have studios.

At first light today RAF and Cypriot helicopters rejoined firefighters who had worked through the night. By 8am their efforts proved successful in the Trimiklini Valley, about 10 miles from Limassol. The fire, however, has destroyed one of the most picturesque valleys in Cyprus.

Police revealed that seven young men on motorbikes were being questioned after reportedly being seen making fires. One report said five Britons had been arrested.

Some 40 Britons live in Lania. Visitor Sylvia Ditch said: "It was terrifying. It started in the valley below and encircled the village, stopping just a hundred yards away. We have kept our bags packed in case we have to move quickly to get away."

A heatwave has gripped the island in the past two weeks, with temperatures yesterday reaching 43C. Radio announcements were warning drivers to avoid the road from Limassol to Platres, a hill village where many British military personnel live.

About 4,000 British tourists are in Limassol. Lania and a series of villages, including St George Silico and Monagri, home of a World Heritage Site monastery, were within the area of the flames, which last night destroyed two houses and a restaurant. Three firemen and a resident were taken to hospital last night suffering burns and the effects of heat and smoke.