A love-lorn sailor has been detained by border officials after trying to sail into a British port to find his "holiday sweetheart" - despite admitting she has no interest in him.
Ramazan Culum was intercepted when his yacht reached British waters off Plymouth on Friday evening, having sailed through stormy seas from his homeland of Turkey in pursuit of romance.
The 38-year-old, who said he would go on hunger strike to convince the British woman of his love for her, is awaiting deportation after his latest grand gesture was foiled.
Culum said his quest has seen him imprisoned and spending time in a mental hospital since the chance encounter with the woman eight years ago.
Writing on his personal website, he said: "In September 2005, I went to northern Cyprus for a scuba diving trip. I met by chance (a woman) in Kyrenia.
"Then my whole life changed. Because, I loved her but she didn't want me."
The Home Office confirmed a 38-year-old man was intercepted by the Border Force cutter HMC Valiant late on Friday in the sea off Devon.
The yacht was towed to Turnchapel marina in Plymouth and the man, who was the sole sailor on board, was arrested and questioned.
He was found to have no right to enter the UK and was transferred to immigration detention pending his removal from the country.
Peter Jones, from Border Force in the South West, said: "This man was attempting to enter the UK without a visa or valid passport but was stopped and will now be removed to his home country."
According to the Plymouth Herald, Culum writes a diary on his website detailing his affection for the woman: "I spent my every second with her in my mind and in my dreams."
He claims to have "battled storms and disasters as he crossed the Adriatic, the Mediterranean, through the straits of Gibraltar, hugging the coast of Spain and onwards across the English Channel."
He wrote: "I will come there, I will kneel down in front of you, I will kiss your hands and I will propose marrying me.
"You can marry me or you can imprison me. It's your to decide."
In his latest entry, Culum records how he was detained by the UK Border Agency and was now in an immigration removal office "located at Sussex."
He writes: "After 7 months on the water, after a last month under highly bad conditions, after a lot of works, after a lot of efforts… I did never dream to immigrate, but was trying to gain the heart of the angel of my life.
"But I'm now at an immigration center. I'm not happy of course…"