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10:00am Wednesday 12th April 2006

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A CHARD man looking for love over the airwaves has won a new girlfriend as well as the hearts of a nation.

As reported last week, Gareth Smith, 22, of Glynswood, beat thousands of other hopefuls to secure a place in the final of Radio 1's One Night With Laura.

Do I actually have to go Scott?

Competition winner Gareth Smith

The hat-loving, beer-drinking systems manager from Air Control Solutions impressed the unlucky-in-love assistant from the Scott Mills Show, by giving her a lemon and buying her a packet of condoms as part of a challenge.

In a tense final on Friday, listeners voted Gareth the winner over rivals Ben and Shep and he was whisked away with DJ Scott Mills and Laura to Disneyland Paris.

But it was back to work for Gareth on Monday afternoon. In an exclusive chat with the News on Monday morning, he said: "It's like the end of an era now, saying goodbye. I would like to go back to London and see everyone again.

"Laura's wicked, we get on really well. She's like me - really outgoing."

But Gareth said his on air comment about being engaged to Laura was just a joke and he doubted she would be visiting Chard.

He said the support he received from the people of Chard was fantastic. "Everyone has been really good and they have been following it all really closely."

Laid-back Gareth won over listeners on Wednesday when he barely batted an eyelid as Laura tried to put him off by breaking wind and asking him to scratch her athlete's foot.

In the live chat, Gareth admitted he liked wearing various novelty hats and hiding in sheds in garden centres and jumping out on people.

Scott Mills read out an e-mail offering Gareth a role in a new TV show and a caller said she wanted to be fixed up with Gareth if he didn't win the date with Laura.