A British man who struck up an online relationship with a woman thousands of miles away watched in horror as she plummeted to her death from a cliff top just one day after they met in person.

James Nichols, 23, from Ashbourne, Derbyshire, travelled more than 8,000 miles to meet South African girlfriend Cheynee Holloway for the first time after they fell in love online.

However, just one day after he arrived into her home city of Johannesburg, the events worker was left devastated when his 21-year-old girlfriend fell from a cliff after rocks gave way beneath her.

James Nichols, 23, (right) from Ashbourne, Derbyshire, travelled to South Africa to meet Cheynee Holloway, 21, (left) after they met online but she fell to her death just one day into his visit after slipping at a cliff top

Mr Nichols pictured with Ms Holloway's mother at the spot where the 21-year-old fell to her death. It is believed she was stood on a large rock when the ground beneath her gave way and she fell off the cliff top

The pair had been taking photographs while watching the sunset at Northcliff Hill – the second highest point in the city which reaches 5,000 feet in places – when the tragedy occurred.

As Mr Nichols set up a tripod to take a photograph of his girlfriend – who was reportedly stood on a large rock on the cliff top – the stone beneath her gave way and she fell more than 50ft to a pathway below.

Mr Nichols, a portrait photographer, clambered down the cliff face and tried to save his partner, performing CPR for 20 minutes before the emergency services arrived.

However, she suffered multiple injuries and could not be saved.

Prior to her death in January, Ms Holloway had planted a rock for Mr Nichols at Johannesburg's Botanical Gardens.

While the couple were enjoying a long-distance online relationship, she had visited the gardens and sent Mr Nichols a video of herself placing the stone on a rock pile. In the video, she said the pair would reclaim it together when he visited her in South Africa.

However, they never got the opportunity to recover the rock together and so Mr Nichols went to retrieve it himself in the days after her death.

He took it back to the UK but has now been left devastated after it was stolen when thieves targeted his car in Salford, Greater Manchester.

The tragic story has now emerged as Mr Nichols is offering a £300 reward for the safe return of the item, which he describes as something he would 'cherish for the rest of his life'.

The sentimental rock was in a rucksack in his black Renault Clio when thieves smashed the back passenger window and emptied it last week.

Mr Nichols, who has worked for the events team at Manchester's annual Lowry Food Festival, told Manchester Evening News: 'I didn't realise at first. They had rummaged all through the car but it didn't look like they had taken anything.

Ms Holloway, 21, (pictured left with her mother and right) was a bassist in a band called Burning Blue. She died after falling about 50ft from the cliff top at Northcliff Hill in Johannesburg while Mr Nichols visited her

Following Ms Holloway's death, the band she was a member of 'Burning Blue' paid tribute to her on Facebook

'But then I saw it was gone and that's when the sadness really dawned on me.

'Whoever has took it obviously won't have realised and have probably just thrown it. But it's so important to me and it can't be replaced.

'After Cheynee died, I made it my mission to find it and to find the exact rock she left like that and to bring it back to England was unbelievable.

'It's something I would cherish for the rest of my life.

Mr Nichols said the incident, which occurred behind Salford Quays Travelodge between 10pm last Wednesday and 8am the following morning, had added to his grief.

He said: 'I had the rock with me as I was going hiking in the Lake District so decided to bring it with me, as if I was bringing a piece of her with me on my adventure.

'It's all still so raw and to say this has made the grief worse would an understatement.

'I'm not bothered about anyone getting in trouble – I just want it back.'

Prior to her death, Ms Holloway had planted a rock for Mr Nichols at Johannesburg's Botanical Gardens and said the pair would retrieve it together when he flew over to visit her. However, he has since collected it alone

Mr Nichols said he was determined to find the rock from the pile she created at the gardens (pictured) but has been left devastated after the sentimental item was stolen from his car in Salford, Manchester, last week

Following her death last year, Ms Holloway's friends paid tribute to her on social media – writing on the Facebook page for Burning Blue, a band which she was the bass player for.

One friend, Sarah Silber, said: 'This is so absolutely devastating! Cheynne was the kindest, sweetest most beautiful soul, I remember spending so much time with her back in school and she was such a lovely person. Heartbreaking. Condolences to all her family and friends. RIP gorgeous Cheynne, you will be missed by so many </3'.

Another tribute, from Myka Van Acker Hernández, said: 'My condolences to all of Cheynne's loved ones, I remember what a beautiful, sweet and kind girl she was, RIP Cheynne I hope her family and loved ones can find peace and strength during this difficult time.'

The band itself also paid tribute to Ms Holloway following her death, with a statement which said: 'Our hearts are shattered.

'The girl everybody loved, our precious friend and more, Cheynne, passed away in a tragic hiking accident yesterday. The most beautiful, shining soul has left us. We can't even think right now. There are simply no words.

Another post added: 'Cheynne was so, so much more than just our bassist, she was our long-time friend and part of the family.'