Holiday-isle Briton suspected of beating girlfriend to death

Chelsea Hyndman, 21, from Castleford, died on Monday after suffering internal injuries which doctors said were caused by physical violence.

Her boyfriend Luke Walker, 22, was arrested and Greek police said he was expected to face a charge of causing fatal bodily injuries.

Ms Hyndman was admitted to hospital in Heraklion, the capital of Crete, on Sunday suffering from severe abdominal pain. She had been transferred to the Venizelio hospital where she underwent an emergency operation but died in the intensive care unit.

Heraklion police said she had suffered ruptured internal organs "evidently caused by the use of physical violence".

Sources were last night claiming Walker kicked and punched his partner on Sunday after becoming jealous over the attention she was receiving from other men.

The couple were said to have got into a heated row in their rented flat in the resort of Malia, where they had hoped to work for the summer.

Walker, from Brierley Hill, West Midlands, will appear before a court in Heraklion for a preliminary hearing tomorrow, when it will be decided whether he is to be charged and whether he will be granted bail.

Under Greek law, it is understood he faces between five and 10 years in jail if convicted.

A Greek police spokeswoman in Athens said: "The doctors who examined the girl told police her internal organs were ruptured.

"This was not due to illness. It was the result of physical violence."

She said the couple were living together in rented rooms in the coastal holiday resort of Malia and added: "It is said that they often quarrelled."

Lawyer George Koundourakis, who will represent Walker in court, said: "Of course, my client claims to be innocent."

He said he would not comment further on the circumstances of the case beyond stating it would be a closed hearing.

Ms Hyndman's family, who live close to Castleford Tigers rugby league ground, did not wish to comment when contacted last night. Grieving relatives are being comforted by friends and specially trained police family liaison officers.

Tributes to Ms Hyndman have flooded into a specially-created Facebook site.

Friend Natalie Sloper, who created the Facebook page, wrote: "I am starting this page so that all who knew her can share stories, good times, witty anecdotes, foul-mouthed comments from this wonderful girl."

Among the hundreds of tributes was one from a friend called Amy Clark, who wrote: "Chels...no one can believe what they are reading...everyone will remember you not just tonight but forever."

Another friend, Lorraine Mitchell, left a comment reading: "Chelsea. Gone but never forgotten. You've closed your eyes and gone to sleep. Now you're in God's good keep. Sleep tight, beautiful."

The tribute page also featured more than a dozen photographs of Miss Hyndman with friends.

Luke Walker's brother, Ryan Walker, wrote on his Facebook page: "Luv u Chelsea xxx."

A Foreign Office spokeswoman said: "We can confirm that a British national died yesterday in Crete. We understand that a British national was detained on Sunday."

She said both the man and woman's family were being

provided with consular assistance.

Malia, which has a population of just 4,000, has become a popular destination on the island of Crete in recent years, particularly among young British tourists.

It has a reputation as being a party resort, its main strip, dubbed the Malia Mile, being home to an array of bars, clubs, taverns and restaurants.

It has also attracted attention surrounding concerns over alcohol abuse and violence.