A UK man who attempted to steal an expensive engagement ring by swallowing it was caught after police passed a metal detector over his stomach.

Simon Hooper, 28, from Dorset, wanted the £1,750 ring to propose to his girlfriend and so gulped it down last November while jeweller Fred Burgess was distracted.

Police X-rayed Hooper and discovered the ring.

When shown the incriminating X-ray, Hooper claimed he had swallowed some foil by accident.

The hopeless romantic was kept in the cells for three days until the platinum ring passed through his system.

Hooper was sentenced to 12 weeks for theft.