GAZETTE & HERALD: FORMER Hardenhuish School pupil Mark Payne missed his drinking buddies so much when he moved to Newbury that he set up a website dedicated to finding new pals.

The site, Drinkingbuddys.co.uk, which went live three weeks ago, has proved so successful, that he is now hoping it could be as big as Friends Reunited.

Mr Payne, 34, whose parents still live in Queen's Crescent, Chippenham, now runs a Wimpey restaurant in Newbury.

One lonely night he went to get a couple of pints of lager and a video.

"As I was browsing through the films I looked around and saw other sad people like myself," he said.

"There were a couple of girls each with their takeaway and bottle of white wine, and three blokes. They were all like me, obviously single and with no one to go out with.

"I went straight home and sat at my computer with a lager. I was looking for a website that would help me find some friends. But I was amazed there were plenty of dating sites but nothing if you just wanted some drinking mates," he said.

Mr Payne hit on the name Drinking Buddies and registered it as a site.

Like Friends Reunited, Mr Payne's site invites visitors to leave a free advertisement, detailing where they live and what they like to do in their spare time. They are then charged £5 a month to send unlimited messages to potential new mates.

"Strangely enough it works out at around the same price as two pints of Stella Artois ," he said.