Marbella's 'palmerero' wins an award

Miguel Sánchez, or the 'master' as he is known by many of the gardeners in Marbella, was presented with a special plaque by the mayor for his commitment and hard work over the last twenty years caring for the palm trees in the town.

He was, up until two years ago, the 'palmerero', responsible for pruning and maintaining the palm trees.

The work has now been out-sourced to a team, due to the number of palm trees and new plantings in the town as well as the continual fight against the palm beetle which has killed over 8,000 examples in and around Marbella since 2005.

The presentation doesn't mean that he has now retired, though; he continues to work for the Parks and Gardens department of Marbella town hall as 'palmerero. '

He admits it can be a dangerous job, saying the height, sharp palm fronds and the chain saws and knives they use make the job very hazardous.

He's also had quite a few disagreeable moments with the rats that reside in the crowns of the palms.