‘ The hen party stared when she disappeared underneath the table ’

TOM, 40 VITAL STATISTICS

SINGLE for four years, never married.

CURRENT ROLE

CARER and poster business owner.

WOULD LIKE TO MEET

SOMEONE who is shorter than me — I’m 5ft 6in tall. She’ll have beautiful eyes and hopefully a bewitching smile.

DATING PAST

The longest relationship I’ve had was 11 months. I’ve been messed around a lot, and I’ve never spent a Christmas as part of a couple.

My mum is scared that I won’t have anyone to grow old with — she really wants me to find someone. It doesn’t help that I’ve got five older brothers who are all married with children.

PRE-DATE NERVES?

I JUST wanted to make my date laugh and have a good time. I got to the restaurant 45 minutes early to ensure I was there to greet her.

FIRST IMPRESSIONS?

EMMA was two minutes late, which was fine. she gave me a hug and sat down. she’s very pretty.

EASY TO TALK TO?

Yes — the waiter had to return several times because we were so busy chatting. at one point emma said she needed the loo, and I joked: ‘You’re going to escape, aren’t you?’ When she came back she said she couldn’t find a window to wiggle through, which made me laugh. emma talked a lot about her dogs and how important they are. I’ve got four cats. They’re the centre of my world, too.

EMBARRASSING MOMENTS?

I had to ask her if she could re-tie my shoelace. I suffer with fibromyalgia and my knee was aching, which made it difficult to bend.

emma had to go under the table to do it for me. I’ve no idea what the hen party at the next table, who were staring, thought she was doing, but we did laugh about it afterwards.

DID SPARKS FLY?

I LIKE to think so. I asked for her number and we texted, but I’ve not heard from her since. But girls can sometimes make you wait so they don’t seem too keen.

SEE HER AGAIN?

I’d Like to. But I suspect emma can be a bit shy. If we, hopefully, see one another again I think she’ll open up a bit more.

WHAT DO YOU THINK SHE THOUGHT OF YOU?

I Made her laugh and she did blush a few times. at one point she said I’ve got intense eyes and she couldn’t look at them for long because she could ‘see’ lots of different personalities in them.

WOULD YOUR FRIENDS AND FAMILY LIKE HER?

MY MUM would love her. emma adores animals and that’s a big tick in my family.

TOM’S VERDICT: 9/10

LIKED? I felt so comfortable with Emma.

REGRETS? None at all.

COFFEE OR CAB? Coffee.