A Royal Navy rating who e-mailed his girlfriend 405 times while on a peace-keeping mission in Sierra Leone was today hoping to meet her soon - for the first time.

Junior rating Simon Goodwin, an operator mechanic on the frigate HMS Iron Duke, was hoping to meet Amanda Beckett as the vessel returned to Portsmouth following a six-month deployment.

The 29-year-old from Worthing has been writing to Amanda Beckett, 36, of Birmingham since just after HMS Iron Duke set sail in October for peace-keeping duties off Sierra Leone.

The pair plan to meet a week on Saturday for a romantic break in a hotel.

Mr Goodwin said he was introduced to 36-year-old Ms Beckett, who runs a travel company in Birmingham, when a friend asked him to write to her.

He said: "A friend was writing to a girl and I was asked if I would mind writing to her friend. We exchanged names and ages and it just blossomed from there.

"I have been e-mailing her since, passing cards and presents at Christmas and on Valentine's Day and we have sent about 405 e-mails each - at least three a day.

"I have her photograph but I have never met her."

The pair plan to meet for the first time on Saturday week, March 3, having booked a romantic weekend break at a hotel in Oxford.

Goodwin, who has been in the Royal Navy for five years, added: "This would not have been possible a few years ago. It is a bit weird, but a lot of people are doing it these days.

"I am more excited than nervous about meeting her at the moment but I am sure I will be nervous next weekend and my nails will probably be bitten away."