Teenager dies in brawl at Rhodes club

A British teenager was stabbed to death in the early hours of yesterday during a brawl on the Greek island of Rhodes.

The 17-year-old had been drinking in a nightclub in the resort town of Faliraki when he got in a fight with 10 other Britons, one of whom stabbed him in the neck with a broken bottle. Greek police have arrested a number of British tourists and are still looking for two, one of whom is thought to have wielded the bottle.

"We still have not found the one who was responsible for the death," a local police official said. "The incident took place inside the club and the victim was taken to the regional hospital but it was too late." The Foreign Office has yet to name the man from Peterborough, Cambridgeshire, who died in the fight.

The Britons arrested so far, aged between 18 and 30, are due to appear before a Greek prosecutor today on charges of manslaughter and assault, police officials said.

The death is the latest in a long line of incidents involving British holidaymakers whose raucous and drunken exploits has led locals to dub them the "Ugly Britons".

Last week, another British tourist died on the island when he was accidentally run over after passing out on the street in front of a rubbish lorry.

Yiannis Iatridis, the mayor of Faliraki, said there was not enough security at the resort despite a recent decision to boost police patrols. "This is our biggest problem. There are not enough police around. All these young men come and they think they can do anything they like," he said.

The Foreign Office recently launched the "Know Before You Go" campaign, appealing to young people to behave responsibly and respect local customs when on holiday. "It reminds them not to do things they wouldn't do at home, like pull their trousers down in the high street," a Foreign Office spokesperson told The Independent.

But the strategy appears not to be having any affect on the hordes of Britons who pack the bars and clubs in Faliraki, drinking heavily. More than 30 British citizens were arrested for indecent exposure at the resort last summer after a spate of flashing incidents.

The tourist industry is concerned the island's image is being destroyed by British tourists - many attracted by the hedonistic nightlife portrayed in the ITV series Club Reps.

Efthymios Dimitriadis, a lawyer who deals with a large number of cases involving Britons every year, said: "The community has had enough. We can't have anarchy here. We don't tolerate illegal acts. People must get the message." He added: "For example, a 10-metre run with your trousers down can cost you up to €1,000 (£650)."