Floods in Valencia: British couple Don and Terry Turner found dead in their car after going missing

A British couple was found dead in Spain last week after being overwhelmed by floods, their daughters said.

At least 217 people have died after heavy rains in the east Spain caused flash flooding, leaving thousands of cars destroyed in the streets and an unknown number still missing.

Ruth O’Loughlin and Renee Turner told Sky News their parents Don, 78, and 74-year-old Terry Turner went missing during the floods in the Valencia region – only to find their bodies in their car days later.

A spokesperson for FCDO said it is “supporting the family” and is “in contact with local authorities”.

It comes as a red warning signal for “extreme danger” due to heavy rain has been issued today for Barcelona, with 180mm of rain expected to fall within 12 hours, according to national weather agency Aemet.

Speaking to Sky News, Ms O’Loughlin said she last spoke to her mother on Monday last week, and a day later noticed her messages to Mr Turner were not being delivered on WhatsApp.

After seeing reports of the flooding, she tried to contact her father but again received no response, before her cousin called on Thursday to say her parents had been reported missing.

Despite social media campaigns and calls to the British Consulate, Renee Turner said it was Saturday when they found out Mr and Mrs Turner had died.

“My sister and I both got a call to say they had been found in their car and unfortunately they had passed away,” she said.

Ms O’Loughlin added: ‘We were told they were looking for petrol, as they do.

‘They were clearly unaware of how bad the area was, and their friend said they knew (the couple went outside) because they talked all the time.

“And then they didn’t come home.”

Renee Turner insisted both Mr and Mrs Turner would have heeded the flood warnings “without a doubt” but told Sky News “there was no warning”.

“My parents wouldn’t have been away,” she added. ‘We are so angry about the laxity of the Spanish authorities in this area.

“It’s not just our father and mother who died, there are hundreds of people, hundreds, and they need to be held accountable.”

In their hometown of Burntwood, Staffordshire, Mrs O’Loughlin said “everyone knows my mum and dad”. As a child, she remembered people passing by while Ruth was baking.

She added that Mr Turner was “the clown – everyone loved Dad… he made our childhood absolutely wonderful”, before saying that when they moved to Spain, “everyone knew them there”.

Terry volunteered at a local dog shelter and adopted two kittens, Ms. O’Loughlin said, who are currently in the care of the couple’s friends in the area.

“We kind of knew (they were dead) because we knew our mother would have done anything to get those pets back,” Ms O’Loughlin added.

Both Renee Turner and Mrs O’Loughlin had wanted to move their parents back to England, and it was expected that the couple would soon return home permanently.

“We had plans,” Ms O’Loughlin said. ‘My mother was desperate to come back. She’s shopping, she missed Morrisons.

‘We were thinking about maybe buying a bigger house and having mum and dad move in with us. We could keep an eye on them, we could make sure everything was okay.

“The thought of it: my mother said to me, ‘that’s more than I could ever ask for’.”

Foreign Secretary David Lammy extended the UK’s condolences to all affected. I have offered Britain’s full support to my friend @jmalbares.”

Meanwhile, the local government in Catalonia today warned of “persistent and heavy” rain in two regions and said people should avoid travel and stay away from streams and ravines.

Authorities told people nearby the “extreme danger” warning issued for the Barcelona region: “Do not travel unless strictly necessary.”

Authorities also suspended train services in northeastern Catalonia at the request of civil protection officials.