When Phil Stephenson and Nicole Graham matched on Tinder, they decided to take a trip to Turkey as their first date together.
Hours later, when they landed at the airport in their destination on Friday, they realised that a coup was unfolding that was going to affect the political stability of the country.
Speaking to The Northern Echo, Stephenson said that after he and Graham matched, she mentioned that she was flying out to Turkey on holiday, but that her family had to cancel at the last minute and she was now heading alone to the popular holiday destination of Marmaris.
Stating that "she didn't have to ask me twice," he agreed to book a flight and head away with her, only for the coup to begin on the same day.
"I’ve had loads of people messaging me about what’s happening here," said Stephenson, "and people by the pool are saying there has been shootings and a helicopter brought down in Icemeler, which is just down the road."
However, it seems that Stephenson's main concern when he was on the trip was not the violence on the streets or the fallout of a major coup, but rather the date itself, which was not going to plan.
Stating that he was planning on returning home at the first available opportunity, he said: "It’s not just because of what’s happening in Istanbul that I want to come home – I think the girl thought she was getting a romantic holiday with me, but I just wanted a bit of banter.
"I thought we’d be going out every night and having wild times but now she’s going round and asking people about romantic restaurants."
Speaking to The Northern Echo, Graham said that the date wasn't to her liking either, and that it was in fact the "worst time of her life."
Noting that he had spoken to the media first to get his story out, she presented the other side of the argument, stating: "He charged all of his drinks to our room so now I have to pay an £80 bar bill and he nicked my toothpaste – how low can you go? It only cost a pound."
Stephenson has since left the country, leaving Graham on her own for the rest of the holiday, and has a number of media appearances on radio scheduled across the coming days to explain just exactly what happened.
