A farmer's quest to find love proved fruitless, it has emerged.

Carl Keeble, of Maldon, took part in the Farmer Wants a Wife campaign run for the last three years by Country Living magazine.

The dating experiment saw dozens of farmers profiled in the publication and female readers were invited to offer themselves as a bride to the tractor-driving lonely heart which most took their fancy.

Organisers have announced that the resulting rendezvous proved more successful than Blind Date, leading to 14 marriages and engagements and six babies.

Mr Keeble, though, was not among the lucky lovers.

Published Monday January 19, 2004

Brought to you by the Evening Gazette