Bachelor uses billboards to find a wife

Muhammad Malik's friends helped him create the adverts to find a wife

A bachelor is using huge billboards with tongue-in-cheek messages in his quest for a wife.

Muhammad Malik, 29, is alerting prospective partners to his availability with ads in London and Birmingham.

They read: "Save me from an arranged marriage."

He said he was not against the concept but would prefer to try to "find someone on my own first".

But so far the search has proven fruitless for the London-based bank consultant who hopes a specially set-up website - findmalikawife.com - will change his luck.

Since putting up the adverts on Saturday, Mr Malik says he has had hundreds of messages expressing interest.

"I haven't had the time to look through yet," he said. "I need to set some time aside - I hadn't thought this part through."

Within a few days, Mr Malik said he had received hundreds of messages

Mr Malik said he had tried a number of ways to meet women before the billboards.

"I'm Pakistani Desi," he said, "so the first thing we're told about is the power of the aunties." But that method "didn't work out".

Then there were dating apps and a few dating events, but he said they left him feeling "quite awkward".

Finally, a friend suggested he should literally advertise himself. Mr Malik explained: "I thought 'why not - what's the worst that can happen'?"

The billboards, set to remain up until 14 January, have the backing of family, with his parents "down from the beginning", although he confessed: "I had to convince my mum a bit."

Mr Malik said his ideal partner would share his Muslim faith and be able to "keep up with the bants" with his family.