A teenage British soldier has been stabbed to death during a night club confrontation with a group of British tourists in the holiday resort of Ayia Napa, Cyprus police said on Sunday.

The name of the soldier stationed on the island at Dhekelia garrison has not been released.

Three British tourists were arrested and are expected to appear before a Famagusta district court for remand order on Monday, police said.

"Today at around 3.30am (0130 GMT) while a group of British soldiers from Dhekelia garrison were enjoying themselves at a club in Ayia Napa they had a confrontation with three of their compatriots," said police spokesperson George Economou.

"During the confrontation one of the three drew what is believed to be a knife, injuring the 19-year-old soldier in the chest," he added.

He was pronounced dead on arrival at Famagusta General Hospital in nearby Paralimni.

Economou said a knife was recovered at the scene of the crime.

British Bases spokesperson Connie Pierce said: "We can confirm there was a stabbing incident in Ayia Napa and as a result there was a death of a soldier from the 2nd Battalion Royal Regiment of Fusiliers."

She said the incident happened in an area — Ayia Napa square — that is out of bounds to British soldiers because of previous incidents there.

Ayia Napa is the island's most popular resort among younger holidaymakers, especially British tourists attracted by the buzzing nightlife.

Around 9000 British troops and their dependants are stationed on Cyprus as Britain retained two large strategic sovereign base areas after the island gained independence from colonial rule in 1960.