Rebuilding the Costas

IN six years it is undoubtedly the saddest, most tragic story we have had to cover.

Seeing the wonderful Costa del Sol ripped apart by the biggest fire on record has been heart-wrenching in the extreme.

Not only have people died and 224 homes suffered damage – many of them completely destroyed – but the beautiful hills above the coast will be scarred for decades.

Parks and gardens have been lost, while thousands of wild animals have been killed.

The Olive Press would like to express its most heartfelt sympathy to those whose lives have been ripped apart by the fires, and support any effort to help rebuild the community.

Upsetting and tough as it is, we must now all work together to try and draw positives from an awful situation.

Let us take comfort from the heartwarming army of expat volunteers who are working flat out to make a difficult situation more bearable to others.

Websites set up to help, donations flooding in … and even a special concert have been created all with the intention of helping others make it through.

Onwards and upwards, everyone – we must work to rebuild the Costa del Sol and use this temporary fracture to make us even stronger.