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The girlfriend of a man in love who traveled by jet ski from Scotland to see her on the Isle of Man would marry him if he asked.
Despite never having ridden a jet ski before and being unable to swim, Dale McLaughlan made the treacherous 25-mile journey in a desperate effort to see Jessica Radcliffe.
The 28-year-old from Irvine took four and a half hours to cross the sea by motor, the Daily Record reported.
While it may have caused Jessica to pass out, the romantic gesture landed Dale in prison for four weeks because he broke Covid-19 restrictions.
Jessica, a mother of two, who is a health worker, said: “I have received messages from all over the world.
“People from Italy have sent photos of jet skis saying, ‘This is for your boyfriend, showing our support.’
“The people of Ireland have said: ‘What he did was heroic. You should marry that man.
“If you ask me, I’ll say yes. It is definitely a story to tell our grandchildren. “
The 28-year-old, who has two young children from a previous relationship, drove into waters that local fishermen had chosen not to venture that day.
He had driven 75 miles on one-way forest roads from his home in Irvine, North Ayrshire, to set off from the closest point in Scotland to the Isle of Man.
His car and the trailer used to transport the jet ski to the port were left right next to the stands, causing coastguard crews to fear the worst.
By the time the search began, Dale had already landed in Ramsey Harbor with only a few minutes of fuel in the tank.
Jessica said she didn’t expect the trip to last that long, assuming it would only take 40 minutes.
After reaching shore, Dale had to walk 15 miles from Ramsey to Douglas before he could see his lover.
The couple met in September, when he was legally working on the island.
Jessica says she did not know she had traveled by jet ski from Whithorn Island until police knocked on her door two days after she arrived.
Despite testing negative for the coronavirus, Dale was incarcerated Monday at Douglas Courthouse.
The Isle of Man has strict border rules due to Covid.
With a population of 85,000, it has been able to maintain very low levels of the virus.
Although there are four active cases, it is considered to be virus-free as all are isolated and there is no community spread.
Only one person on the island has died from the disease since May.
Non-residents can only enter the Isle of Man with a special permit.
Anyone violating the regulations faces a maximum of three months in prison or a fine of up to £ 10,000.
Life on the island has returned to normal, with no social distancing and gatherings, including Christmas events, can continue.
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