Deputy mayor shot dead in Spain

A town's deputy mayor has been shot dead in the Basque region of Spain.

The attack in Lasarte is being blamed on Eta.

The victim was identified as Froilan Delespe, a member of the Socialist Party, the Basque regional interior ministry said.

Lasarte is six miles south of the coastal city of San Sebastian.

Police in Lasarte said Mr Delespe was shot and killed in a bar and the attack appeared to be the work of ETA.

Reports said Mr Delespe, 54, was shot at least twice.

If confirmed as an attack by Eta, it would be the 29th killing by the group since it ended a ceasefire in December 1999.

The shooting came three days after a car-bombing killed a policeman in the Catalan town of Roses in north-east Spain.

There was no immediate word from Eta. The group usually takes weeks or months to claim attacks.