THE family of a couple murdered in Spain have the option of bringing a civil action against the alleged killers.

The private prosecution would run alongside the forthcoming criminal trial of the two men accused of murdering Anthony and Linda O'Malley.

It comes 18 months after self-employed car salesman Anthony, and Linda, manageress of TJ Hughes in Ellesmere Port, disappeared while property hunting in Costa Blanca.

A reporter on local newspaper The Costa Blanca News said: 'Legal proceedings have already been opened in court here.

'The trial of the two men accused of killing the O'Malleys will then be held at Alicante Central Court in the next few months, though we don't know when.

'Under Spanish law the family of the O'Malleys can bring civil proceedings against the accused men, which would run parallel with the criminal trial.

'But the family members have not received their legal papers yet in order to do this.'

Anthony, 42, and Linda, 55, from Llangollen in North Wales, failed to return home in September 2002 after going to view a house in Villajoyosa, near Benidorm.