A French family of five on holiday jumped off a seaside cliff in a desperate attempt to escape a raging wildfire, with the father and one of his children plummeting some 165ft (50m) to their deaths, authorities said.

Two people jumped into the sea and died as they fled a raging wildfire in north-eastern Spain, where flames fanned by strong winds also forced the closure of one the main roads linking Spain and France.

OFFICIALS say 121 people were injured yesterday as protesters in Barcelona clashed with police officers clearing a makeshift camp set up as part of a Spain-wide demonstration against high unemployment and other problems.