A BEARDED, rotund Scot who donned a mankini has become a global sensation.
Martin McKenna put on the green garment in a desperate bid to win a £25,000 wedding to fiancee Tina Gibson.
His stunt appears to be paying off with everyone from oil rig workers in Angola to New York police officers in Times Square tweeting messages of support.
The message “Martin & Tina to win #ochwedding” has also been tweeted from as far afield as Indonesia and Dubai.
The 32-year-old from Easterhouse, Glasgow, has also been sent pictures from cricket fans at this year’s Ashes in Australia and party-goers in Cyprus.
Martin and Tina, 35, say they are “blown away” by the attention.
Martin said: “It’s honestly gone crazy, it’s blown me away. Tina is mega surprised as well – I’m just doing my best for her to get us this wedding.
“Even if we don’t win the competition at least we will have great memories from trying.”
Some of the most unlikely photographs include a group of 14 men on a major oil rig off the coast of Angola.
They can be seen smiling and posing for the camera as they get behind Martin’s battle to win.
Another picture shows a businessman in Dubai, holding up a sign with the iconic hotel the Burj Al Arab in the background.
Offshore workers in Indonesia have been snapped supporting the cause while out at sea, and a pair of NYPD police officers in New York have even been spotted backing the couple.
Martin’s efforts had already been noticed by American Professional Wrestler Hulk Hogan, I’m a Celeb Star and former footballer Jimmy Bullard, and Scots actor Greg Hemphill.
He kickstarted his campaign by donning a mankini and posting pictures of himself holding up a sign and recreating his proposal.
Later this month he will wear a cheerleading outfit to a football match, and even has plans to squeeze into a wedding dress to help win fiancee Tina’s “dream wedding”.
“I’ll do anything to get Tina this wedding, she has had a tough time and she is absolutely amazing,” he said.
“She deserves it.”
The competition, run by the Old Course Hotel in St Andrews and the Scottish Wedding Directory Magazine, challenges couples to get themselves noticed on social media.
The winning pair will be married on 29 April – William and Kate’s fifth wedding anniversary – and the package includes a designer wedding dress, a photographer and a wedding breakfast based on the royal couple’s wedding menu.
Other entrants have uploaded cute songs, romantic photographs and even home-made board games in a bid to win.
The winners will be announced on August 25.
