THE WIDOW of a man who died after tackling burglars at his holiday home today spoke of her despair with Spanish police and said: "They will never catch the men responsible."

Blackburn deputy coroner Carolyn Singleton has also expressed concern over the way the death of Joe McCaughran, of Walden Road, Blackburn, has been dealt with and has called in Lancashire police.

They will be treating it as a murder investigation and may fly a senior officer to Spain to probe the case.

Mr McCaughran, a 69-year-old retired BT worker, was dragged along the road by the burglars' getaway car as he tried to stop them making off from the family's holiday home in the Torrevieja area with a camcorder and film of his four-month-old grandson Jack. He died from a blood clot on his brain nine days later, on June 28.

English-speaking newspapers in Spain have revealed there hasn't been so much as an appeal for information about the burglary by local police and Foreign Secretary Jack Straw, the family's MP, has expressed concern about the case.

At the time of the death, he said: "I will contact the family and discuss what action needs to be taken."

Mr McCaughran's wife Sheila, who watched as Joseph was injured and gave a statement to an inquest in Blackburn about the incident, said: "I very much doubt that the Spanish police will make any great efforts

"They have told us absolutely nothing since Joseph died. We have been in touch with the Consul but nobody has any great expectations.

"It wouldn't bring Joseph back but it would be some consolation if I knew the men who caused his death had been punished in some way."

The deputy coroner has recorded a verdict of unlawful killing and changed the official cause of death recorded on a death certificate sent from Spain, which originally said "respiratory arrest following a stroke." She said: "Based on the medical evidence and the statement from Mrs McCaughran, I believe the correct verdict is unlawful killing.

"I will therefore pass on details of the case to Blackburn Police for them to investigate the crime."

At the inquest, Mrs Singleton told Mrs McCaughran: "Quite clearly the appropriate cause of death should have been head injury and I say that because of the circumstances in which Mr McCaughran suffered his injuries.

"I have heard how your husband, in trying to safeguard his family's property, lost his life. The burglars were clearly acting unlawfully and when they drove the car away, at speed, with Mr McCaughran still holding the door handle they would have realised he was at risk of some physical harm. I have no doubt that the appropriate verdict is one of unlawful killing. I can only hope that the Spanish authorities pursue the people responsible and they are brought to justice."

A spokesman for Blackburn Police said that they would have to treat the incident as if it were a murder, and a senior investigating office would head up the case.

The possibility of detectives going to Spain has not been ruled out, he added.

Mr McCaughran's son Joe, 21, said: "We do feel as if nothing is happening out there.

"We know catching the people responsible won't bring him back, but it will make us feel better because justice will have been done.

"Even the Foreign Office are struggling to get information about the investigation."

Costa Blanca News journalist Tom Caine said: "It is just another crime to them the Spanish police. There has been no appeal here whatsoever.

"The whole thing is very hush hush and they are trying to keep it quiet.

"To them, it is just another incident and I doubt anyone will be caught."

A spokesman for the Foreign Office said they were monitoring the situation.