A Norwich bartender who describes himself as a 'hopeless sarcastic romantic' has appealed for people to help him fund his quest to find love.

Tom Packer, 26, wanted to raise £1,300 to pay for the 13 dates he believes it will take him to find the woman of his dreams, and set up an online campaign on the crowdfunding website Indiegogo.

However by midnight last night, when the campaign finished, he had raised £227.

'I've had my fair share of dates and right swipes, and even hit the streets of London with a mistletoe attached to my head in an attempt to find a special someone,' Mr Packer said on his campaign page.

'There have been some great people but I haven't yet found my one true love, so my quest continues.'

He said there was a popular theory that it takes 13 dates to find love and that he wanted to put this to the test

He has even created a graph of how he foresees his plan working out, but the writer and cocktail-maker said he did not have the funds to impress his future dates.

He had called on fellow romantics to help him in his quest.

'People of the internet and fellow romantics, I would like to take this opportunity to ask for your help in my quest for love,' he said.

'In return, you will have my eternal gratitude as well as something special and unusual, ranging from a personalised poem and a date, to a day out with me in Paris, depending on your choice.'

Those who contributed to Mr Packer's campaign were set to receive everything from a signed photo to a date in Paris as a thank you.

The thank you perks depend on how much a person donates.

Mr Packer's campaign began on Tuesday and finished just before midnight.

He had also secured two of his dates as two people had pledged £100 in return for a date in London with him.

• See Mr Packer's campaign online at www.indiegogo.com/projects/help-tom-to-fund-love