Mum ‘would marry’ boyfriend who jet-skied to Isle of Man to see her
A mum said she would marry her boyfriend who jet-skied from Scotland to the Isle of Man to see her.
Dale McLaughlan jet-skied 25 miles for four and a half hours across the sea to see Jessica Radcliffe. Although his girlfriend loved the gesture, it landed the 28-year-old in jail for four weeks because he broke coronavirus restrictions.
The Isle of Man has maintained a strict border as they have managed to keep the island virtually free of the virus with only four active cases that are all in isolation.
The mum, who has two children from a previous relationship, told the Daily Record she would marry him if he asked her to.
She said: ‘If he asks me, I’ll say yes. It’s definitely a story to tell our grandkids.’
The healthcare worker said people ‘from all over the world’ have sent her pictures of jet skis and messages of support.
‘People from Ireland have said, “What he did is heroic. You should marry that man”,’ she said.
McLaughlan ventured into waters that local fishermen had reportedly decided to stay out of that day.
To leave from Scotland’s closest point to the Isle of Man McLaughlan had to drive 75 miles on forest roads from his home in Irvine, North Ayrshire, to the Isle of Whithorn.
Because he left his car and trailer just next to the slope that went into the water coastguards feared he was in danger and started searching for him.
But he was already at Ramsey harbour where he got out of the water and walked to Douglas to be with Ms Radcliffe.
On Monday Douglas Courthouse jailed McLaughlan for the breach.
Ms Radcliffe said she did not know he had travelled to her with a jetski until the police arrived at her door two days later.
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