A WORKER in a builders merchants has gone from flirting flop to babe magnet in six weeks - thanks to a celebrity television style team.

Until starring in BBC2's Would Like to Meet programme earlier this month Stourport's Mike Smith, 30, would never have dreamt of such a scenario.

Mike, who works at Ray's Builders Merchants, Kidderminster, has managed to banish his fears of the dating game and is a man with "sky-high" confidence as a result.

Mike, who had found it impossible to try his luck with women, managed to tell jokes on stage, approach women in bars and stores and was even approached for a date.

Only six weeks after a mock blind date which was described on the show as featuring the "mother of all silences", Mike - who was kitted out with new clothes, shades and a stylish haircut - was almost unstoppable in his search for the ideal date.

The programme is presented by Lowri Turner with confidence-builder Steven Anderson, fashion expert Jay Hunt and flirting tipster Tracey Cox.

Fearless Mike, of The Birches, even succeeded in finding a date with a woman named Jackie. Romance didn't eventually blossom but the pair remain good friends.

Mike said: "Loads of people have spoken to me about it. The other day I had a text message from a friend telling me two girls opposite her on a train were talking about me!

"It's unbelievable how I've changed. My confidence is sky-high and I just love going out, although I always have done.

"I'm still in the mirror practising my smiling techniques now and then," he said.

"Everything I learned has helped me tremendously and I have no regrets whatsoever about featuring in the programme."