It could have been a love story to match Titanic, when a pining boyfriend jumped on board a boat in a desperate bid to see his girlfriend.

But the hapless Romeo failed to play Leonardo Di Caprio to her Kate Winslet when he realised he actually had no idea of how to sail.

The love boat drama happened when his romantic gesture turned into a nine-hour nightmare in the dark as he drifted into shipping lanes.

Instead of falling into the arms of his girlfriend, 28-year-old Graeme Bethell found himself relating his sorry tale before magistrates in Ipswich.

They heard how the terrified romeo, from Harling Way, Leiston, was nearly mown down by ferries and giant container ships as he careered out of control at night in busy shipping lanes.

Non-swimmer Bethell, who had been on a boat only once before in his life, jumped on board after spotting the 14 foot vessel on a beach at Felixstowe.
He aimed to drift the 50 yards across the mouth of the River Deben so he could reach the village of Bawdsey on the opposite bank and go to see his girlfriend, magistrates in Ipswich heard.

He expected the voyage to take under an hour – but his romantic gesture turned into a nightmare when the strong current swept him several miles out into the North Sea.

As he was buffeted by waves, he was unable to call for help because he had no mobile telephone or emergency flares on board.

Jobless office worker Bethell was powerless to steer the boat as he battled to stay afloat because he had no oars, engine or sail.

A beach walker raised the alarm after spotting him floundering at sea as dawn broke the next day on May 21.

Bethell finally managed to return to shore when he begged a tow from a passing fishing boat.

He was arrested on the spot after he found a policeman waiting for him with the angry boat owner.

A charge of theft of a boat was dropped after he admitted being in shipping lanes without authorisation.

Bethell was given a conditional discharge by South East Suffolk magistrates and was ordered to pay £420 compensation for damage to the boat’s anchor and nets.

Presiding magistrate Jane Fiske told him: "We think that you have had the fright of your life."

His defence lawyer David Hutson told the court: "I think that he has had punishment enough."

Bethell said after the hearing: "Taking the boat was a stupid thing to do – but I did it on the spur of the moment after a few drinks.

"I thought I could just drift across the river to go and see my girlfriend. Instead I just drifted out to sea.

"There was nothing I could do because I did not have any oars. It ended up as the most terrifying experience of my life.

"On the way out of the river I clipped the edge of a jetty and thought I had holed the boat because I heard this hissing noise which sounded like water gushing in.

"It was only later that I discovered it was a bottle of Coke which had started hissing after its top was loosened.

"While I was at sea I saw a couple of ferries, a tanker and something that looked like a battleship. I did get quite close to them.

"Then I went further out to sea where I could not see the shore any more. At one point I threw out the anchor to try and slow down – but it broke away.

"In the morning it was very misty and I could hardly see a thing. I am just very grateful that I was rescued.