Two women and two young children were rescued after becoming locked inside a car hire depot in San Bartolomé, Lanzarote.

The group had rented a vehicle and were preparing to leave the premises when the main access gate closed. They were trapped inside the compound with the hire car.

Local Police officers attended and repeatedly tried to contact the company responsible for the premises, but received no response.

The island’s emergency services were then called to assist. With police authorisation, emergency workers opened the gate and freed the group.

The women and children were able to leave safely in the vehicle they had hired. Emergency crews secured the gate again before reporting the incident to the Canary Islands emergency coordination centre.

No injuries or other serious consequences were reported.