ATHENS, GREECE - A 31-YEAR-OLD Greek beheaded his girlfriend and carried her head round the popular tourist island of Santorini before he was arrested, police said on Sunday.

The man, who police said had psychological problems, injured a police officer and two women while trying to escape arrest after killing the 25-year-old teacher in Greece's most picturesque island.

'He was walking around, carrying her head and telling the astonished villagers not to stop him,' a police official told Reuters.

'They knew he had psychological problems ... but they didn't expect he would reach this point.'

The man knifed a policeman who tried to arrest him, stole a police car and crashed into a motorcycle injuring two women, before police ended his escape by ramming the car.

Tourism Minister Aris Spiliotopoulos vowed earlier this week to make Greek resorts safer after a spate of violent incidents at the peak of the tourist season. -- REUTERS