A couple's dream of retiring to Spain is in tatters after they lost £130,000 of their life savings in a holiday home rip-off.

Graham and Sonia Higginson, of West Moors, have been forced to postpone their retirement plans after a Spanish estate agency went bust.

The newly-married couple gave £115,000 from their life savings to 45-year-old estate agent Audrey Dixon of Oasis Spanish Properties and planned a new life on the continent.

The money - raised by the sale of Mr Higginson's bungalow in Barton-On-Sea - was to buy a two-bedroom house near Garrucha in Almeria but the sale was hit by a series of unexplained delays.

Then, without warning, Dixon closed her sales offices and went to ground with their hard-earned cash.

Graham, 60, and Sonia, 56, have since spent another £15,000 attempting to trace Dixon and start legal action.

Dixon was summoned to appear before a judge in Vera, Almeria but failed to turn up and a warrant has been issued for her arrest.

But that is little consolation to the Higginsons, of Heathfield Road, and at least 21 other UK victims, who have each lost an average of £70,000.

Graham, a recycling collection worker at New Forest District Council, said they have reluctantly accepted the loss of their money and were now attempting to put the nightmare behind them.

"If we do get anything back it will be a bonus but we're not holding our breath," he said.

"We just couldn't believe what had happened at first.

"We couldn't sleep, we were just going over and over the situation in our minds. We kept thinking, why did we do it? Why did we give the money to her?

"It has absolutely devastated us but life goes on and we're not in as bad a position as some others, who have taken out mortgages on Spanish properties that they have never owned.

"We've still got our life to lead, although it's now very different to what we hoped for.

"I had hoped to retire at the end of the year but this has put paid to that. We just don't know what to do now."

Several attempts to contact Dixon or Oasis Spanish Properties were unsuccessful.

With around one quarter of Britons looking to retire abroad, Graham and Sonia recommend people do their research before buying a property. They urge people to visit the website www.spanishpirates.com, which highlights experiences like theirs. Other advice includes consulting a qualified, practising lawyer and checking there are no debts on the land you are buying.

First published: August 23