Annette Kilgore, a 69-year-old British woman who appeared on the Channel 4 reality show A Place in the Sun, is missing and feared dead after devastating wildfires swept through the village of Bédar in Almeria, southern Spain, on Thursday, July 9. The ferocious blaze destroyed homes and claimed at least 13 lives, with authorities using DNA analysis to identify victims burned beyond recognition.
Couple's Dream Relocation Turns Tragic
Kilgore and her husband, Malcolm Timbrell, 70, moved to Bédar from Cornwall after purchasing a stone cottage through the programme in 2023. The couple had a budget of £200,000 and negotiated the price down from £215,746, with Timbrell calling it a "cheeky" offer. In the episode, Kilgore expressed her desire to adopt the Spanish way of life after retiring from a career in mental health. Timbrell lost contact with his wife and a dozen friends as flames advanced rapidly. He told the BBC: "We have had an amazing life together, and now it's stopped. If we had done the sensible thing and gone the other way and let our cats die, we both would be alive. But when you've got animals, you don't think like that." He added: "We are just waiting now for DNA clarification. And after that, I will probably just fall apart."
Other British Victims Identified
Kilgore is not the only British person missing in Bédar. Expatriate couple Pete and Fran Gillam were confirmed dead after Fran sent a final message to her daughter Danielle Gillam-Kirton on Thursday evening, saying they were evacuating. Danielle posted on social media: "We are heartbroken to share that we have received confirmation from the police that Mum and Dad did not survive the fire." Other victims include a Spanish man and his British wife, a French woman, a Belgian man, and a 93-year-old British woman who died in hospital on Sunday, July 12.
Extreme Weather Fuels Blaze
The wildfires were driven by scorching temperatures, arid conditions, and powerful winds during a summer heatwave that pushed thermometers to 44°C in parts of Spain. The flames tore through Bédar on Thursday afternoon, leaving 13 dead and numerous homes razed. Authorities are working to identify all victims through DNA analysis, as many bodies were severely burned.
