Singletons looking for love from across Europe helped set a new world record yesterday for highest speed dating event on an aircraft.

Sixty male and female love-birds from the UK, Ireland, France and Germany took part in the successful attempt which was organised by online travel company Expedia.

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The event saw the passengers board a flight from Luton Airport in the UK to Venice - a city often described as the capital of romance – before going on 20, three minute dates during the two hour (and 730 mile) flight, with the plane reaching a height of 35,000 feet.

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The participants, were selected from 500 applicants by Expedia, for the 'Holidate' - a social experiment designed to prove the link between travel and love.

Eleanor Berg, 28, an information rights advisor from Camberwell, London, said: "It was a really great and original thing to have been a part of, and something that I will never forget. It is amazing to think I have taken part in a world record breaking experience."

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Will Pearce, 24, an actor from south east London, said: "It was a fantastic achievement and a real once in a lifetime experience. It certainly exceeded the standards of your typical date, and it was like no other date I've ever been on. And I never thought I'd break a world record so that was amazing too."