The boss of a travel company has reopened his shops in Horwich and Westhoughton after travelling to Spain himself to see if tourists are welcome.

Don Bircham and Ruth Ward of Hays Travel North West stayed in an apartment near Calle de Mijas, 20 minutes away from Marbella.

The trip has given them the confidence that the industry will bounce back from the coronavirus crisis.

Mr Bircham said: "We always need to know our product inside out so we can give our customers the best insight and advice, but it’s especially important now to get a feel for the whole experience.

"I'm delighted to say that every single aspect of the week was very positive.

"We flew from Liverpool to Malaga with Ryan Air. Our flight was about 70 per cent full at the way out and about 50 per cent full at the way back and there is absolutely no problems on the aircraft wearing your mask.

"In the resort I can't emphasise how wonderful it is. It’s just so easy. The only noticeable difference is that everybody keeps their mask in their pocket.

"The beaches are still great but they're obviously quieter which is not necessarily a bad thing in one sense. It's fantastic.

"All the bars and restaurants are open so there's no feeling of emptiness whatsoever. People are going about their business and enjoying themselves.

"The sanitisation they've put in place is excellent. There is somebody sat outside every public toilet insisting that you sanitise before you go in and after you go out. They're constantly cleaning them.

"The Spanish people were delighted to see us and it’s even cheaper than normal.

"You could tell it was a real pleasure that they were beginning to see a trickle of tourists arriving and those numbers progressively growing every day. They're doing everything to make them welcome.

"The trip has given me a lot of peace of mind. There has never been a better time to go. You'll have a great break."