Travellers have been told to look out for thieves hiding in luggage while on holiday.

Spanish police are warning tourists of contortionists that tuck themselves inside suitcases to carry out the ‘Trojan Horse’ robberies.

Officers say crooks, often acting with an accomplice, board buses in the luggage hold then creep out with a torch during the journey to rifle through people’s bags.

Officers are telling people travelling to the country to look out for this type of sneak thief as well as pickpockets that distract victims by telling them they have bird droppings on their clothes, the Times reports.

In 2011, Spanish police arrested a flexible thief who had hidden inside a suitcase to steal valuables.

The 5ft 9in (1.78m) contortionist pinched valuables including laptop computers from the baggage compartment during an hour-long journey.