VALENTINES Day is the one day of the year when hopeless romantics can sweep their partners off their feet and really impress. But one Harlow man has been named and shamed as the most unromantic man in the area. Shopper Aleck Weir, 42, from Takeley, was no

VALENTINES Day is the one day of the year when hopeless romantics can sweep their partners off their feet and really impress.

But one Harlow man has been named and shamed as the most unromantic man in the area.

Shopper Aleck Weir, 42, from Takeley, was nominated by his fiancée Rachel Ryan in the competition organised by the Harvey Shopping Centre, Harlow.

Women across west Essex and east Hertfordshire were asked to tell all about their partner's worst habits and hapless attempts at romance.

A spokesman for the Harvey Centre said: "Ladies had to answer three simple questions, the first being 'what is the worse present your partner has ever bought you? Rachel's answer of "a bag of dirty washing" just beat "a swing bin" given by another great romantic; especially as Aleck had been teasing Rachel telling her he had something for her in his car!"

The second question asked about bad habits with the majority of entrants complaining about snoring while one woman declared her partner's choice of small underwear was his worst habit.

Finally the women were asked if their partners had ever bought them gifts, apart from on Valentines Day or their anniversary.

The answers to this question apparently revealed that the men in the area will say and do romantic things, but never quite get to the stage of actually buying gifts.

"The Harvey Centre took Aleck under its wing just in time for a lovely evening on Valentine's Day," the spokesman added.

"We've armed him with a new attitude, outfit and gifts to surprise and delight his beloved fiancée Rachel.

"They are very much in love, it's just Aleck has forgotten that sometimes the little things really do say so much!"

As well as the makeover, Mr Weir won underwear, jewellery and perfume for Miss Ryan, and champagne and chocolates.

The spokesman for the Harvey Centre added: "Competition to find the area's least romantic man was sadly fierce with one lady enjoying a particularly generous "spaghetti server" as just the latest in a long line of unromantic gifts that included wallpaper, patio doors and a diet recipe book."

Mr Weir and Miss Ryan are to get married later this year in Gretna, Scotland.