Homes have been destroyed and residents evacuated because of wildfires in Greece and Italy.

An elderly man died in fires around Keratea, a town 27 miles south-east of Athens, the Greek capital, with 260 firefighters deployed to tackle the blaze.

Dozens of people were forced to abandon their homes along with residents and staff at a care home in the nearby coastal resort of Palea Fokea.

Nearly 80 fire engines, 11 water bombers, and seven helicopters were used to subdue the fire that tore its way through 10,000 acres of brush and forest.

Dimitris Loukas, the mayor of the nearest city of Lavrio, said: “Many homes were destroyed, in addition to other properties, agricultural and forest land.”

The National Observatory in Athens said the high winds will persist until at least Monday.

On Friday, gale-force winds caused the deaths of two Vietnamese tourists – a 61-year-old woman and 65-year-old man, – who fell into the sea at Sarakiniko beach on the Cycladic island of Milos, while tens of thousands of holidaymakers had their travel plans disrupted because of the turbulent sea conditions.