The dream of owning a fashionable apartment in Spain lured a young couple into a legal nightmare - and could cost them their life savings.

Decorator Julian Dalton, 36, and fiancee Rivana Konighaus fell in love with the sun-soaked pad in Barcelona at first sight.

But almost a year after putting down their deposit they are no nearer to enjoying the views from the balcony or lounging in the wood-panelled rooms.

And now they say the agent who handled the sale is refusing to return their cash and their phone calls.

Mr Dalton, of Warleigh Road, Brighton, said: "We have been conned out of our life savings."

The couple spotted the luxury three-bedroom apartment in the Toble Nou district, on the market for the equivalent of £130,000, while visiting friends in the fashionable resort last year.

Priced out of the market in their home city, they decided to buy the flat and rent it out, hoping to ultimately save enough money to use it as a holiday home.

They visited the agent and handed over a 600 euro (£440) holding deposit, on the understanding they would be granted a 100 per cent mortgage.

A few weeks later they received a letter asking for more cash to cover ten per cent of the purchase price.

Although this was not in the initial agreement, they withdrew 18,000 euros (£13,000) - five years' savings - and wired the money to the agency.

In June, they were told the mortgage had fallen through and were offered a loan covering just 70 per cent of the price.

Unable to immediately come up with the shortfall of more than £20,000 they decided they had to pull out of the deal.

After dozens of frantic phone calls, the agent said the only option was to buy the flat and sell it on because the owner was refusing to pay back the deposit.

He has now stopped returning their calls and the couple are planning to fly out to Spain with a solicitor as they battle for the return of their cash.

Mr Dalton said: "The contract must be void in some way because we haven't signed for or even seen anything.

Miss Konighaus, an insurance assessor, has still not told her family in Germany she has lost the money.

She said: "We trusted the agent. They were a family business and we got to know them really well. We even sent them a postcard from Brighton."

Despite repeated calls from The Argus, the agent refused to comment on the deal.

Property solicitor Mark Davies, of Healys in Brighton, advised anyone hoping to buy property abroad to get sound legal advice.

He said: "There are huge differences between the law in Spain and England."