Three men have been arrested over the death of a British pensioner who was mugged in front of his wife last week outside his holiday home in Tenerife. 

The trio were held hours after it emerged the 88-year-old, named only as Ray, had passed away in hospital following last Wednesday's assault.

It is not yet clear where they were held and if they are all facing homicide charges.

A spokesperson for Spain's National Police, confirming the arrests, said: 'I can confirm three people have been arrested following the incident last Wednesday involving the British man who subsequently died in hospital.'

The victim, who recently celebrated his birthday at a Tenerife pub after travelling to the island for a holiday, is understood to have died from a head wound he suffered after a brief struggle.

He had been fighting for his life in hospital following the violent attack in Los Cristianos in the south of Tenerife. He was with his 79-year-old wife at the time of the assault. 

Flowers have been left for the Brit outside the apartment block where the mugging took place after tributes were paid to him online.

A message on one of the bouquets said: 'RIP Ray, We Will Miss You.'

A friend, referencing the Big Ben Pub in Los Cristianos, said: 'I met that man two weeks ago in Big Ben.

'He was celebrating his birthday with his wife Judy and having a great time. Such a lovely man. Can't believe this happened. Rest in peace.'

Ray Hugill, from Middlesbrough, wrote online at the weekend: 'Regrettably, this friend of mine passed away from his injuries in hospital yesterday.

'This should now be treated by the police as a murder inquiry.'

Another pal wrote: 'Ray was a lovely man. I hope justice is done.'

Ahead of today's confirmation of arrests, a man described as a Senegalese immigrant with a previous conviction for similar crimes was reported to have been identified as a suspect following the incident, which happened at the entrance to an apartment block called Victoria Court II in Los Cristianos.

The victim is understood to have gone into cardiac arrest after falling backwards and smashing onto the ground during a brief struggle with his assailant.

He was revived at the scene by first responders before being rushed to the hospital in a very serious condition.

Angry expats and regular holidaymakers to Tenerife have been complaining that the mugging problem in the area is getting worse and urging the police to do more to tackle the issue.

Stephen Fox wrote on an expat social media site: 'Sad state of affairs. Fourth incident that I know of in this exact same area in the last three months.

'The Victoria Court has external cameras. I witnessed a woman in a wheelchair in her 80s getting her chain ripped off her at 3pm. Police and the local council are ignoring it.'

In April, police in Tenerife arrested a man who, on the same day, allegedly sexually assaulted a female British tourist and robbed and beat up an elderly couple from the UK.

The 22-year-old Moroccan was accused of using a martial arts 'lion killer' chokehold to overpower the woman after pretending to be a Good Samaritan by helping her look for her lost mobile phone.

Police sources said at the time he only desisted from raping her after she promised not to report him.

The same day as the sex attack in the Las Veronicas area in the holiday resort of Playa de las Americas near Los Cristianos, the man allegedly targeted an 89-year-old British man and his 79-year-old wife.

Both elderly tourists were hospitalised after the mugger lashed out at them in anger when the woman threw her husband's watch into the bushes after it came off during a struggle.

The man arrested was subsequently linked to another incident three days earlier, on March 20, when a Swedish tourist was mugged for her necklace.

Despite the violence used on each occasion, well-placed sources later revealed the suspect had been released on bail after going before a duty judge instead of being remanded to prison pending charges and trial.

In February, a Good Samaritan British holidaymaker was left fighting for his life after being stabbed in Las Veronicas as he chased a man who had just stolen a friend's mobile.

Brave Theo Wright, 18, from Oldham, was outside a club when he intervened in the early hours of February 16.

An Italian in his twenties later handed himself in after Spanish police made him a wanted man.

Speaking from the hospital after his ordeal, Theo, who was treated for a serious stab wound that punctured his lung, said: 'I didn't mean to be a hero or anything, I just wanted to help the girl get her phone back.'

Recalling the moment he was knifed, he added: 'He just swung around, and that must've been when he stabbed me twice.

'I tried to run again but couldn't, and I just fell to the floor.

'That's when two Ukrainian guys helped me with first aid. I saw all the blood and really thought I was brown bread.'

On May 28, a British man died during a fight at the popular nightlife spot Las Veronicas.

He is understood to have been kicked in the head after being knocked to the ground in an altercation which involved glasses being thrown.

A 23-year-old man from the UK was arrested following the death of the 37-year-old and remanded to a local jail as part of an ongoing homicide probe.