'I've found an Italian stallion': Jilted student who donned sandwich board in desperate Valentine's Day appeal for a man bags herself a date



A lonely girl who went out on Valentine's Day wearing a placard saying 'Be My Valentine....I've just been dumped' has landed herself a date with an Italian.

Janie Brown, 20, stood at the roadside wearing the cardboard sign hoping to catch the eye of a passing motorist in Birmingham.

The student wasted no time looking for a new man after being dumped by Steve her boyfriend of six months the day before Valentine's Day.



'Italian stallion': Janie Brown with Dave Bergomi, a 21-year-old engineering student from Milan who pulled over in his car and gave her his number

She caught the attention of Dave Bergomi who even made a U-turn on his way back to university, to pull over and give Janie his phone number.

She said today: 'He wound down the window, looked me in the eye and handed over a card with his number on it.

'He just said: "why has somebody as pretty as you resorted to this, I'll take you out anytime."

'Obviously, you've got to be wary of strangers pulling over in cars - but I knew straight away he was genuine. And he was good looking too.'



The pair last night enjoyed a belated romantic date, with champagne and a candlelit meal for two at San Carlo restaurant in Birmingham city centre.

The two of them say they both enjoyed their night and are looking forward to a second date.

Dave said he didn't hesitate when he spotted the 'lovely' Janie standing by the roadside in the rain.

Jilted: Student, 20, took to the streets of Birmingham to find herself a new man on Valentine's Day

The 21-year-old engineering student said: 'I saw this poor girl standing by the road with this placard saying 'be my Valentine' - and she looked gorgeous. I don't know why nobody stopped.

'I'm single and I thought, why not? Some people have given her a bit of stick but she's had the last laugh because she got a date with me.

'We really hit it off, it's still early days but I'm hoping that there is a second date on the cards.'



Janie, from Liverpool, added: 'I can't believe that in the same week that I was dumped I have found myself an Italian stallion. I'm not jumping to conclusions yet, but I must say I hope this goes somewhere.

'Dave is kind and a real gentleman, we had a wonderful evening and I loved every minute of it.

'I can't believe he goes to the same university as well - all this time he's been so close.'

The couple remained tight-lipped however about whether they shared a first kiss at the end of the night.

'Now, that would be telling,' joked Janie.

Janie, who is studying History at Birmingham University, spent the morning on a main road after ex- boyfriend Steve told her they wouldn't be spending Valentines together.

She explained at the time: 'My boyfriend dumped me and I thought instead of moping around the house all day I would go out and get a date.'