The tough economic situation in Spain means that many British expats are leaving its sunny climes and returning to their homeland.

According to the BBC, unemployment levels in the Mediterranean country are up by 17 per cent, meaning that around four million people are out of work.

One such couple is Jim and Caireen Candlin. They met in Spain and after marrying in Gibraltar, decided to raise their family on the Costa Brava.

They have both worked for companies that have folded in the past year and as a result, Mr Candlin is now returning to the UK to retrain as an electrician.

He said: "When we couldn't pay the rent one month and had to phone our parents for help, we realised economically it wasn't working here. We couldn't carry on like that."

In related news, Atlas International European sales manager James Dearsley recently claimed that tourism in Turkey is picking up, meaning that increasing numbers of people are considering retiring there.

Moving home can be even more stressful if it involves going abroad and using storage facilities may help to make the process a little easier.

Written by Jacqueline Farrer