Police investigate balcony fall

A BRITISH woman is in a critical condition in hospital after falling from a sixth-floor hotel balcony in Benidorm.

Her 40-year-old British husband, who was arrested early on Saturday as a precautionary measure, was released from custody by a judge.

The couple were holidaying at the four-star Rio Park hotel in Calle Kennedy. It was just after midnight when the woman went over the balcony.

A witness immediately phoned the National Police but it was an ambulance and local police patrol who were first on the scene.

While emergency response staff stabilised the victim, officers went up to her room where they found the woman’s partner inside and placed him under arrest.

A police spokesman explained: “The couple were sharing the same room and we are talking about a person who has no links to Spain, so we are obliged to make the arrest while we try to determine what happened.”

The woman, aged 36, was taken to Villajoyosa’s Marina Baixa hospital and her condition was described as ‘critical’ on arrival. After appearing before a judge on Sunday her husband was released without protective measures, such as an obligation to register in court or a ban on leaving the country, suggesting he was not being treated as a suspect.

The hotel where the incident occurred is located in a quiet area of Benidorm, just a five-minute walk from the resort’s Levante beach.

Police have confirmed that the investigation is continuing and they are carrying out enquiries to clarify what happened. They have also asked any witnesses to contact the authorities.