Colin Armstrong was snatched from his villa on Saturday morning

A British millionaire who was kidnapped in Ecuador four days ago has been rescued.

Colin Armstrong, 78, was snatched from his villa in Los Rios with his girlfriend Katherine Paola Santos by 15 armed men on Saturday morning.

He was last seen being forced into the back of his own BMW, which was later found abandoned on the road.

Cesar Augusto Zapata Correa, Ecuador’s police chief, tweeted that Mr Armstrong had been found on a road near Manabi.

Ms Santos was previously rescued by police who removed an ‘explosive device’ from around her.

Grainy footage shows her surrounded by bomb disposal officers – but Ms Santos has been questioned by police over her involvement in the scam.

Following his rescue police released a picture of Mr Armstrong who is flanked by two officers.

Cmr Correa wrote: ‘Our units released citizen Colin A., kidnapped a few days ago in Los Rios. At the moment he is safe and healthy.’

He added that nine people had been arrested in connection with the kidnap, MailOnline reports.

The unknown assailants are believed to have transported Mr Armstrong from the premises of his ranch estate, known as the Rancho Rodeo Grande.

They were reportedly disguised as police officers.

Footage posted onlne shows how the abductors left a blood-stained trail behind after ransacking the ranch.

A woman inside the ranch filmed shots of broken plates on the floor.

She then walks into one of the bedrooms where the bedsheets were stained with blood.

She is then reported to have said: ‘This is where they hit him. My God what is this!’

Mr Armstrong is also head of the British Consulate in the city of Guayaquil, just south of Los Rios. 

Mr Armstrong is the founder of Agripac, a large firm that produces, distributes and sells agricultural and industrial supplies. 

The owner of the Tupgill Park Estate in Yorkshire, he also received an OBE and CMG in 2011 for services to the British Monarchy.