A British couple have been found dead with bullet wounds in the province of Alicante, Spanish police have said.
The bodies of Peter and Jean Tarsey, both aged 77, were found at their villa on Sunday afternoon, the Guardia Civil said.A spokeswoman from Spain's national police force said friends of the couple went to visit them because they had not been seen for a few days.
The Foreign Office said it was "ready to provide consular assistance".
A Guardia Civil spokeswoman said: "They [the friends] found the door was open and there were no signs of a break-in.
"The couple, who had been living in Spain for 18 years, were found dead with gunshot wounds on the sofa.
"The Guardia Civil is now awaiting the results of post-mortem examinations and investigations continue."
Alicante is on Spain's south-eastern coast and is part of the Costa Blanca, a popular tourist destination.