A couple with a 27-year age gap are used to getting looks and stares when they go out in public - not least because she's a model and he's a 54-year-old who rides a mobility scooter.

Mason Reese, 54 and Sarah Russi, 26, don't look like your average couple.

An adult model and cam girl, Sarah's preferred outfit is hot pants and a crop top; while 4 ft 10 Mason is more comfortable in jeans and a shirt.

Mason, from New York, said: 'Truth of the matter is, I don't see myself as being in her league. So when I look at a beautiful, young 26-year-old adult model, I don't think, "oh she is gonna be in love with me".

'When she first expressed interest in actually being in a relationship with me I think I was just shocked as anybody.

Mason, 54 and Sarah, 26, from New York have defended their unconventional relationship by insisting that they are madly in love with each other

Mason and Sarah had initially made contact on Facebook before meeting in person at The Chiller Theatre Expo in New Jersey

He admitted that a lot of people have asked her: 'Really you are with that dude, like why? Is it for the money? Is it because he is your sugar daddy?'.

Although Sarah has previously been as a sugar baby, she maintains that her relationship with Mason, who is a former child actor, is strictly personal.

'The idea of being a sugar baby can be fun, sometimes, like getting paid $300 for dinners. But ever since I started talking to Mason, I just decided that I don't want that anymore. I just feel like, I'm happy to be in a relationship with him.

'I am really happy with Mason. I don't need to be with him for his money.'

Mason Reese and Sarah Russi who met at a horror film convention, pictured riding through Central Park on his mobility scooter

Mason admitted that Sarah is 'out of his league', but she has blasted suggestions that she's with him for money, despite dating sugar daddies in the past

Sarah may be 22 years younger than her boyfriend, but she said that they have lots in common, and that she's always been attracted to men in their 50s

Mason added: 'Sarah's never asked me for a cent.

'She's bought me beautiful gifts, and spent time with me and money on me, so I don't feel that's the basis of our relationship at all.'

This is the first age gap relationship Mason has been in.

He said: 'The last time I dated someone 26 is probably when I was 28. My entire life most of the women that I have had relationships with have been my age, or even maybe slightly older than myself. So, this is a new one for me.'

By contrast Sarah admits Mason isn't even the oldest man she has dated: 'I really haven't dated any guys my own age.

'I usually try to date guys that are in their late 50s, so no he is not the oldest guy that I have dated.

'I like older men because they are more mature, I just love the way they look - like I actually like grey hair and bald guys - I don't know that is what I am attracted to.'

Sarah, an adult model and cam girl, has hit back at claims she's using Mason as a Sugar Daddy by declaring that she doesn't ask for his money

The couple, who have been dating for seven months, met at the Chiller Theatre Expo in New Jersey; although they had already been in touch with one another on Facebook.

Sarah explained: 'I actually sent him a friend request because a friend of mine was talking about him, and she was just mentioning that he was a former child star, and I didn't know who he was. So I just looked him up and I really liked his videos.'

Mason was previously a regular on the daytime talk show The Mike Douglas Show, and appeared in commercials for Underwood Deviled Ham, Post Raisin Bran, and Dunkin' Donuts.

He accepted Sarah's friend request, spotting that they had some mutual friends.

The happy couple hit it off when they chatted about their mutual interest in the restaurant industry, after initially connecting on Facebook

When the couple first met, they ended up chatting for hours and kissing each other until 3am, after finding an instant spark

After exchanging a few messages, the pair agreed to meet up at the horror and pop culture convention. Sarah was working, signing modelling posters and taking pictures with fans.

She said: 'He was actually waiting for me at my table while I was upstairs so I went down. I saw him and we gave each other a big hug and we spoke for the next three hours, we talked about everything.

'We talked about how he used to own restaurants and how I used to be a bartender, and just random other stuff.'

Asking her to go for a drink later, the couple did more than that.

Mason is aware that people wonder why Sarah is with him, and said that on face value he doesn't look like the kind of man she would fall in love with

Mason said: 'We met at the bar and we didn't stop kissing each other until about 3 o' clock in the morning.'

Sarah didn't see the other guy again. She had to wait though for her and Mason's first date.

She said: 'We went on a proper date a month after we met because he was in LA.'

But after that, things moved quickly.

Sara said: 'I think the relationship progressed so quickly because we just hit it off right away.'

The pair admit that their relationship developed at breakneck speed, and they declared their love for each other after just a week

Mason added: 'When you meet somebody and you end up talking for three hours effortlessly - no pauses, no breaks, no uncomfortable moments of real silence that's kind of unusual and I think she felt that way as well.'

From there, the relationship has escalated quickly with the pair saying 'I love you' about a week into the relationship and Mason even spending Christmas with Sarah and her parents – just weeks after they made their relationship official.

Sarah still has her Pittsburgh apartment but spends most of her time now in NYC with Mason.

Mason said: 'Obviously we are lovers, but at the same time we are also good friends. I think we really enjoy being around each other. I think we make each other laugh a lot. We do have a lot of common interests.'

'It doesn't matter how old she is, or where is she's from or anything else.'