A couple who went missing in southern Spain while house-hunting were last seen by a property agent - a day before they were due to fly home.

North Wales Police are retracing the steps of Anthony and Linda O'Malley from Llangollen, north Wales, and are carrying out an "audit trail" of their financial transactions.

Jenny Stewart spoke to her mother on the phone

A large amount of cash - enough to buy a house - had been withdrawn from an account set up in Spain for that purpose and "out-of-character" credit card transactions are also being investigated.

Arrangements were made by the couple - originally from the Liverpool area - with a property agent in Benidorm on 12 September.

They were interested in viewing a small �20,000 house at Villajoyosa, five miles south of the city.

The agent was told that Mrs O'Malley would be returning home before her husband because of work commitments.

The couple then made appointment for Mr O'Malley to view a property on 17 September. He never showed up.

The couple's hire car, a blue Fiat Stilo registration number 8588 BTP, is also missing.

Detective Inspector Nick Crabtree of North Wales Police said inquiries to trace the couple were being made with Interpol, the Foreign Office and the National Criminal Intelligence Service (NCIS).

At an earlier press conference, he said money had been withdrawn from the couple's account shortly before they were due to return home.

Bernard O'Malley: 'Devoted couple'

The police confirmed withdrawals had been made from points across Spain, but it is not known by whom.

"There are a wide range of enquiries to be made in Spain, including the whereabouts of the couple's hire vehicle, which is still outstanding," said Det Insp Crabtree.

"Clearly I have a sense of unease. We are treating this at the moment as a missing person investigation. Linda was dedicated to her work. She had every intention of coming back to her work."

Det Insp Crabtree earlier said a large amount of cash had been withdrawn from the O'Malleys bank account on 11 September and further spending on their credit cards gave a cause for concern.

Det Insp Nick Crabtree: 'Wide range of enquiries'

The O'Malleys, who had been married for 15 years, were said to be "dedicated to each other and their families".

They had flown to Malaga on 30 August for two weeks, but they did not board their scheduled flight home.

Today's news is encouraging but we are still extremely worried

Bernard O'Malley

No-one has heard from them since 4 September, when 55-year-old Mrs O'Malley telephoned her daughter.

Her other daughter, Nicola Welch, 32, from Hampshire, said: "They were well travelled, sensible and professional people. They worked very hard all their lives and were very private people."

The couple - who had their two dogs tagged in readiness for their move - are known to have visited Malaga, Benidorm and Valencia.

Anthony O'Malley's brother Bernard, described the missing couple as "very quiet and very devoted to each other".

"Today's news is encouraging but we are still extremely worried. There has been a long gap now since when they were seen on September 12. "I'm sure if Anthony and Linda could get to a phone they would do," he added.

Anyone with any information is urged to contact the police on 0845 6071002.