LOVESTRUCK Romeo Del Aspinall today put his hand on his heart and confessed to being the man behind a daredevil Valentine's Day stunt.

Del, 24, is an industrial window cleaner who can be seen abseiling from some of East Lancashire's tallest buildings - including Thwaites brewery in Blackburn yesterday.

He placed his message of unrequited love to Kendall Gibbons on a motorway sign at junction 13 of the M65 in early last Friday.

He said: "I'd been thinking about it and planning for weeks and had been to look at the sign many times. I worked out how big it was by counting the rivets to see how big I would have to make the D and the heart.

"Then I just climbed up the back and stuck it on."

The sign, a bid to win Kendall's affections from her current love Carl, sparked huge interest from motorists over the weekend after Del changed it to read Del loves Kendal. He said: "I've known her for a while and it was definitely love at first sight - she's lovely, and I'm just hoping she will go out with me eventually, even if it is in the year 2006.

"But if not, I know there are plenty of other pretty girls out there and if any of them think they have got a cure for Kendall-itis then they should make themselves known."

Del, of Kings Drive, Padiham, who works for Burnley-based company Brian Winder, also sent Kendall 12 red roses, a bottle of perfume and a hand-made Valentine's card showing the sign.

But Kendall, who lives in the Marsden area of Burnley, has already dismissed the stunt as motorway madness.

The 19-year-old who works in Burnley's New Look store said: "I have only met Del once although he has tried to chat me up when I have been out. He certainly seems to be smitten but my boyfriend Carl is not to happy about it."

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