A MAN who flew halfway across the world to see his internet sweetheart has been left heartbroken after immigration officials sent him home.

Aaron McNeilly, 37, travelled to America last week planning to spend three months with his fiancee, Jonne Lynn Bangeree, whom he met in an internet chatroom two years ago.

But Aaron, of Weets View, Barnoldswick, was left devastated when immigration officials at Detroit airport refused him entry and told him they thought he would try to stay in the States beyond his 90-day visa expiry date.

Today Jonne, also unemployed and who lives in Big Stone Gap, Virginia, added: "I am totally shocked at what has happened, it just isn't fair. Aaron has been here before and there was no problem. I am devastated."

Aaron was forced to return to the UK on the next flight without any contact with Jonne and says he doesn't know when he will see her again. He has also lost the £650 he paid for return flights from Manchester.

The couple met on the web about two years ago and become a couple in September last year. They got engaged in when Aaron went to America to meet Jonne, 44, in person in January. On that occasion he stayed in the US for three months.

Aaron said: "I've been robbed of being with the woman I love. We've known each other for two years now and hit it off straight away.

"When I went over to see her for the first time we got on so well that we got engaged and I've worked my guts out trying to save to get back over there to see her. Jonne wanted me to go to her cousin's wedding and spend Thanksgiving with her and her family but that has all been taken away from me. I don't care about the money I have lost I just wanted to be with my fiancee and I can't. I'll have to start saving all over again and who knows when I'll get to see her.

"I spoke to her as soon as I got back home and she is just as devastated as I am. We were both looking forward to spending some time together."

Aaron, who worked for Janesville, in Colne, before quitting to go to the States, added: "I don't understand why I wasn't allowed in. They said that because I don't own property over here and am technically unemployed I couldn't prove that I wouldn't stay in the US indefinitely. But I am not going to jeopardise my future with Jonne by doing something stupid like trying to stay over there longer than I am allowed." Aaron now plans to return to work as a machine operator to pay for another attempted visit for Thanksgiving at the end of November.

But he added: "Even if I do manage to get over there my passport says I have been refused entry so they may turn me away again."

Coun Ian Robinson, of Waterside ward, said the way Aaron had been treated was "a disgrace." He added: "Aaron has been treated like a criminal by the authorities when all he was trying to do was get to see his fiancee."

A spokesman for the US Embassy in London said they were unable to comment on individual cases but that a visa did not guarantee entry to the United States, which was at the discretion of immigration officers.