He was taken to hospital after being found unconscious near Xu River

After she rejected him he went on a drinking binge but nearly drowned

A lovesick American teenager almost died after getting drunk and nearly drowning in a river when he was dumped by a young Chinese woman he flew 7000 miles to visit.

The 18-year-old, who was only named by his surname Pratt in Chinese media, had travelled from his home state of Ohio across to Jiangshan, a city in Zhejiang province in China, after becoming infatuated with a young woman he had met online.

But after getting the cold shoulder from his online ladylove when he turned up, he started drinking and was found suffering from hypothermia and unconscious on the staircase leading down into the Xu River.

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A lovesick American teenager (pictured) almost died after getting drunk and nearly drowning in a river when he was dumped by a young Chinese woman he flew 7000 miles to visit

The teen had met the girl online and promised that he would visit her. After getting the cold shoulder when he turned up, Pratt drank himself unconscious and was found on steps leading down into the Xu River

A spokesman from the Cheng Bei Police Station quoted on Qianjiang TV said: 'He was unconscious and lying in a pool of his own vomit. It looks as if he might have fallen in the water at some stage as his clothes and shoes were soaked. To be honest he was so inebriated, he could easily have drowned. It was only a short distance to the water.'

Pratt was taken to a local hospital and after regaining consciousness discovered that he had also managed to lose all of his money meaning he could no longer pay for his hotel room.

However after hearing about his hard luck story, the hotel manager decided to let the teenager have the room for free.

He admitted to police that he did not know the girl's real name, only her online pseudonym which was Xiaoqian, and he also admitted he had only started talking to her this year. Because she had perfect English and great photographs, he had fallen head over heels in love and had promised to come and visit her.

Homeward bound: The American teenager, known only as Pratt, survived his brush with death and is now returning to the United States according to the Chinese

Pratt is pictured here in hospital recovering from his ordeal

Police said it appears the young woman may not have taken him seriously until he suddenly turned up in Xiamen, in Fujian Province, and then went to Jiangshan to meet the girl.

Detectives confirmed from his mobile phone that he did try to ring her several times, after which he was told to leave her alone – and his number was blocked.

Depressed about the rejection, Pratt had started drinking and was last seen cursing and staggering near Xu River, where he was found passed out later that night.

Police tracked the young woman down, but she again refused to meet him despite hearing about the fact that he had almost died.

A police spokesman said: 'We followed his progress until he left the country, and he is already on the plane back to the United States.'