Figures from the Foreign & Commonwealth Office (FCO) reveal that Britons staying in property in Spain made the most use of their local consulates in the 2009-10 financial year.

Between April 2009 and March 2010, 5,283 applications for assistance were made at consulates in Spain by British holidaymakers.

However, FCO minister Jeremy Browne advises some precautions to be taken by people heading to property in Spain or anywhere else in the world.

Mr Browne says: "Helping out Britons in trouble abroad is part of our job, but we can’t get you out of jail or pay your hospital bills."

He recommends arranging travel insurance before departing, while a bit of extra care with passports may also be wise – at 27,272 lost or stolen passports worldwide, they are by far the single greatest issue dealt with by consulates.

For families driving to Spain, the FCO advises that spectacle-wearing drivers should ensure they have a spare pair of glasses as required by law, while children under the age of 12 are not permitted to sit in the front passenger seat.

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