A widower from Oxford has fallen at the final hurdle in a bid to find love on reality TV.

Alistair Morris, 46, from Arlington Drive, Marston, agreed to star in the BBC2 programme Arrange Me A Marriage, in the hope of finding a partner, and stepmother for his two children.

The show followed Lynn Guthrie, 37, from Thame, who allowed her friends and family to find a suitable man for her to settle down with.

Mr Morris, a National Trails volunteer, was one of two possible suitors interviewed by Ms Guthrie's loved ones - but he was pipped at the post by the other man.

He said: "I don't know why she chose the other guy over me, but it might have been something to do with the fact that she has a dog, a cat and rides horses - all of which I am allergic to.

"I suppose that kind of ruled me out really. Because if we had got together, just cuddling her after she had been on a horse would have put me in hospital!"

Arrange Me A Marriage attempts to matchmake couples by using the principles of Asian arranged marr- iages.

The five-part series, which starts on November 22, will feature men and women who are matched according to class, education, family background, life goals and earnings.

Mr Morris was interviewed by the show's producers and then faced a grilling from Ms Guthrie's mother and sister at his home.

But his credentials failed to impress, and she chose to meet the other man instead.

Mr Morris's wife Michele died in 2000, aged 42, from the rare cancer paraganglioma, leaving him to care for their children, Bethan, then six, and Callum, just four, alone.

He said: "In this day and age, with modern life and everything, it can be difficult to meet people - particularly in a job like mine when you are working in the countryside.

"I have not managed to find anyone else since my wife died and I told the producers a bit about the sort of woman I would like to meet."

Mr Morris, who was once nominated in a competition to find Britain's Best Mum, has been warned to expect calls from female viewers after the programme is aired on Thursday, November 29.