The spray combustion characteristics of rapeseed biodiesel/methyl esters (RME) and 50% RME/diesel blend were investigated and compared with conventional diesel fuel, using a model swirl flame burner. The detailed database with well-characterised boundary conditions can be used as validation targets for flame modelling. An airblast, swirl-atomized liquid fuel spray was surrounded by air preheated to 350 degrees C at atmospheric pressure. The reacting droplet distribution within the flame was determined using phase Doppler particle anemometry. For both diesel and RME, peak droplet concentrations are found on the outside of the flame region, with large droplets migrating to the outside via swirl, and smaller droplets located around the centreline region. However, droplet concentrations and sizes are larger for RME, indicating a longer droplet evaporation timescale. This delayed droplet vaporisation leads to a different reaction zone relative to diesel, with an extended core reaction. In spite of the longer reaction zone, RME flames displayed no sign of visible soot radiation, unlike the case of diesel spray flame. Blending 50% RME with diesel results in significant reduction in soot radiation. Finally, RME emits 22% on average lower NO emissions compared to diesel under lean burning conditions. (C) 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.