Actress flees villa in wildfires threat

OLDHAM-BORN “Coronation Street” star Anne Kirkbride was forced to flee her holiday villa in Spain after it was threatened by bush fires.

Raging wildfires have been sweeping through the country for the last few days, claiming the lives of six fire-fighters.

Anne (55), who plays Deirdre Barlow in the long–running soap, was forced from her villa near Mojacar in the the south east of the country.

Around 1,500 people, including scores of British holidaymakers have been evacuated from the coastal resort town as flames spread, fanned by dry winds in intense summer heat. An ITV spokeswoman said: “The fires in the region mean that Anne did have to leave for a while but she is now back in her villa.”

The actress lives in Didsbury with her husband, former “Coronation Street” actor David Beckett.

Ex–pats have said there is mounting speculation that some of the fires had been started deliberately rather than by high summer temperatures which have soared to 39.1C (102.4F).

A spokesman for the Foreign Office advised holidaymakers travelling to the area to check the department’s website for the most up to date advice before setting off.

Regional authorities have deployed thousands of people and more than 30 aircraft to combat the flames in tinder–dry pine forest regions.

Spain has been placed on maximum wildfire alert as authorities in other parts of the Mediterranean battle blazes.

Wildfires have also raged on the French island of Corsica, in Greece, and in Italy.