One of UK's most wanted held in Spain after seven years on the run

Mark Roberts has been on the run since 2016

One of the UK's most wanted fugitives has been arrested in Spain after spending nearly seven years on the run.

Mark Roberts, 29, of Liverpool, is being held in a Spanish police cell after being arrested in Estepona, Malaga.

He is wanted in connection with a robbery in which a man was stabbed on his own driveway by two men who tried to steal his £60,000 watch.

The National Crime Agency said it would seek to extradite him to the UK.

The robbery victim was attacked in the early hours of 30 September 2016.

He refused to hand over his Richard Mille watch and was left in a critical condition with stab wounds and a collapsed lung.

Mr Roberts was wanted by Merseyside Police for alleged grievous bodily harm and attempted robbery.

The suspect, whose last known address was Freehold Street in Fairfield, Liverpool, featured in a Most Wanted campaign run by the NCA, Crimestoppers and the Spanish authorities.

Mark Roberts was arrested after a covert operation by Spanish police

He was arrested on Wednesday after a period nunder surveillance by Spanish police.

The NCA said Mr Roberts remained in custody awaiting extradition proceedings.

Steve Reynolds, the NCA's regional manager in Spain, said: "Roberts's arrest came about after a sustained campaign to trace him and some great work by the Guardia Civil."

Det Insp Katie Coote, of Merseyside Police, said: "I hope this arrest shows that there is no hiding place for anyone who is evading police."