January 23, 1981

A SEVEN-foot Redditch man has made a desperate appeal for girls not to be put off by his height.

But 23-year-old Phillip Harrison isn't fussy - he would like to meet any girl around 5ft 8ins, preferably blonde.

If you fit the bill, Phillip would love to hear from you, at his home in Headless Cross. Girlfriends aren't the only problem when you tower over a foot above the average man.

Phillip has to buy his clothes from specialists High and Mighty in Birmingham - and he's fed up with shorter men who poke fun at him.

"After 22 years you learn to put up with that sort of thing," he said.

He also has difficulty finding beds, and cars to fit him. He can just squeeze into his Vauxhall Viva, but six-foot hotel beds are out of the question.

With size 15 shoes, the police force may seem a natural career for Phillip, but after leaving the army two years ago, he became a waiter and now works at the Southcrest hotel.