A warning to all hire car users heading to Spain; make sure you have enough cash on you if you plan of breaking the law by speeding.

The Spanish police impounded a hire car being used by a UK couple after they did not have sufficient in-hand finances to cover an on the spot fine. The pair was left stranded in a roadside lay by as they watched the seized Citroen being towed away.

Chris and Susan Troughton were then forced to travel via rail and taxi to reclaim the rental vehicle, a round trip of some seven hours and 180 Euros.

The unwelcome holiday diversion stemmed from a speeding offence which saw the pair pulled over by local officers who demanded the 98 Euro fine be paid immediately, in cash. With only 50 Euros in their pockets the pair offered their credit cards to the police but to no avail. Rather, a tow truck was called for much to the dismay of the couple from Lythe, North Yorkshire. The pair had even tried in vain to withdraw cash from a nearby cafe and had a friendly local attempt to talk to the officers.

Mrs Troughton claimed the affair had destroyed the holiday and said that after speaking with fellow expats in the area the practice of targeting hire car drivers was becoming more frequent. Mr Troughton was exasperated that police officers would leave holidaymakers stranded on the roadside.