A BRITISH woman has been arrested in Guardamar del Segura (Alicante) on suspicion of having beaten and stabbed her boyfriend.

The 40-year-old man, also British, was taken by ambulance to Torrevieja hospital at 06.00hrs on Saturday with severe bruising to the head and a surface wound to the chest.

He is thought to have been attacked with a knife by his partner, 56, at their home in the El Raso urbanisation.

Firefighters were also called out to deal with a blaze in the bedroom, which appeared to have been accidentally started when the woman dropped a cigarette end.

No major damage was caused to the property.