Buried on the beach

February 26, 2010  •  Andalucia, Granada  •  0 Comments

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HUNDREDS of mourners – both British and Spanish – attended the funeral of an English couple killed when their roof collapsed in heavy rain.

Christopher, 64, and Christine Martin, 63, from London, were tragically killed on Sunday night when a farmhouse roof caved in as they were chatting about their family life.

The hugely popular couple were visiting close friends Douglas and Caroline Brown at their Spanish country retreat in the village of Rubite, Granada.

Scores of people sombrely followed the pair of funeral cars as they snaked their way up the promenade of La Mamola town – the Martin’s coastal home.

So many had come to pay their respects that dozens were forced to wait outside the church entrance as the rain poured down.

Readings inside the Spanish chapel were spoken in both Spanish and English.

A close friend of the Martins said: “They were wonderful people, they weren’t your usual expatriates living in Spain.

“They embraced all aspects of Spanish life, Christine would always get dressed up for the ferias and carnivals. It is an absolute tragedy.”

The Browns – who were lucky to escape with just cuts and bruises – also attended the mass.

A friend of the couple, Leon Cohen, revealed how close they were to losing their lives as well.

“Caroline was sat watching TV in the same room, but she got away with just a bruised hand,” explained Cohen, from South Africa. “And, fortunately, Douglas had just popped outside.”

Cohen, who runs a rural home in Lujar, blamed the freak accident on a combination of “bad weather, no and poor quality construction”.

As the coffins were carried outside, the congregation began clapping to pay their final respects.

The ashes of the Martins will be scattered across the La Mamola seafront.

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