On-the-run British paedophile found in Spain babysitting unsuspecting friends' children

An on-the-run British paedophile has been arrested by police in Spain.

George Menzies Campbell, 62, was detained on Tuesday by detectives acting on a European Arrest Warrant outside his home in Villajoyosa near Benidorm.

Spanish authorities were preparing to put him on a plane back to Britain after he went before a judge at an extradition hearing in Madrid.

Police have described Campbell, whose home town was not given, as a convicted paedophile who has committed a string of sex attacks on young children.

He had lived in the Benidorm area for several years and offered to babysit unsuspecting friends and neighbours' children on several occasions.

The arrest took place after Interpol approved a request for his detention from police in Britain.

It followed a lengthy investigation by Costa Blanca detectives to trace him following a tip-off from UK colleagues he was living in Spain.

Details of his criminal record have not been made public.

A spokesman for Alicante's National Police, reading from a statement, said: "Police in Benidorm have arrested a sex attacker who was being hunted by police in the UK.

"He had fled his country several years ago and was based in the province of Alicante.

"He was located after an exhaustive investigation living in Villajoyosa near Benidorm.

"He seems to have been living a normal life and got on well with neighbours, even offering to look after theirs' and friends' children, despite being a convicted paedophile and having committed sex assaults on under-age children.

"This was something his neighbours and friends were unaware of."

The Costa Blanca resort of Villajoyosa lies between Benidorm and the provincial capital Alicante.

The former fishing village is best known today for its multi-coloured fishermen's houses and chocolate.