text: A bride-to-be who lost eight stone when she fell for a Turkish toyboy during a beach holiday, has sworn to remain single after finding out he was two-timing her with another woman. Karen Reidy, 40, from Manchester, thought she had found her soulmate when she met Sakir Candan, 12 years her junior, on holiday in Marmaris in 2012. But the hotel worker's dream romance turned sour when she discovered on Facebook that he had been cheating on her for several months. Karen met Sakir on a break after her mother's death and went on to lose eight stone in weight . Karen slimmed from a size 22 (left) to a size 12 (right) and showed off her new look during their relationship . Karen first met Sakir in September 2012. Her mother had recently died and she booked the holiday to help her through her grief. She met Sakir, then 26, working on a jeep safari and the two clicked immediately. Karen said: 'Sakir was younger than me but I really fell for him. He was charming and looking back, I was vulnerable after my mum's death.' After returning home, the pair kept in daily contact. 'He messaged me constantly and sent cards, telling me how much he missed me,' she said. 'He sent me little love notes signed Spartacus or Emre - his nicknames.' Their relationship continued, with Karen flying out to see Sakir every couple of months and the pair holidayed around Europe, backpacking in the Baltics and Macedonia. Eighteen months after meeting Sakir proposed to Karen with a ring engraved with his name . Karen Reidy was heartbroken when she discovered that younger man Sakir had been cheating . Karen said: 'I paid for everything; our flights and our hotels and all our spends. Sakir was a shopaholic and I bought him shoes, clothes and a new phone. 'Looking back of course I was a fool, but I was in love. 'Sakir came from a poor family. We were planning a life together so it seemed natural for us to share what money we had. 'The only thing Sakir ever bought me was a souvenir cup for my 40th birthday - and I later discovered he had bought the same cup for his other woman.' In between her trips to see Sakir, Karen worked six days a week in a hotel and saved every penny. 'As well as paying for our holidays, I lent Sakir money too. I regularly wired cash over to him, £500 here and there. But I believed that he would pay me back,' she said. The long-distance romance also had a dramatic effect on her figure as she slimmed from a dress size 22 to a size 12, in a bid to impress her new love. She said: 'I didn't even eat - I lost eight stone I was so love-sick. I went from 19 stone to 11 stone and dropped ten dress sizes.' The couple's favourite place was a Macedonian town called Ohrid, where they visited together. Karen says: 'Sakir told me we would live there together and open our own business. The holiday was so romantic. Sakir would regularly send romantic notes to Karen by post while she was away from Turkey . After discovering that Sakir had cheated Karen found out that both she and his other woman had been given the same souvenir mug from Istanbul that had been purchased in a BOGOF deal . 'But I later found out he had sent a postcard from there, which I had paid for, to his other woman. I was speechless at the level of deception.' In autumn 2013, Sakir proposed with a ring, engraved with his name. And in February last year, they began planning their future with Sakir arranging for Karen to meet his family, in preparation for their wedding. But when she arrived home, she got a message from a stranger claiming that she had been seeing Sakir for several months. As well as regular visits, Karen had been transferring hundreds of pounds to Turkey . Karen said: 'I didn't believe it at first. But when I went on her Facebook page, there was Sakir, wrapped around her - wearing a shirt I had bought for him! 'I was devastated.' The two women struck up an unlikely friendship, exchanging details about their relationship with Sakir. Karen - who said she was 'heartbroken' and that Sakir was her 'whole world' - also learned that they had both been given the same souvenir cup from Istanbul. Karen said: 'When she showed me a photo of the cup, my jaw dropped. He had bought me the exact same cup for my birthday.' A furious Karen confronted Sakir and he admitted everything - even confessing he had bought the two cups in a buy-one-get-one-free offer. Karen says: 'It would be funny if I wasn't so broken-hearted. Sakir has ripped out my heart and ripped off my wallet.' Karen estimates she spent around £7,000 on Sakir but although he promised to pay back the cash he borrowed, she has not received a penny. Karen made a trip to Turkey to confront Sakir about the money but left empty handed . She said: 'I paid for everything the whole time we were together. I bought him clothes, shoes and a bike and I lent him cash countless times.' Karen said: 'It all came crashing down around me. I suddenly saw what an idiot I had been. My family and friends had been right all along.' Heartbroken Karen has now pledged to be single . She also claimed Sakir has other love interests. She said: 'I've done some digging and found a third woman who says he was after her too. He is such a rat.' The heartbroken blonde recently returned to Marmaris to confront Sakir about the money he allegedly owed her and why he lied to her but she said 'he had no answers'. 'I went out every night partying and having fun and I bumped into him, one evening, with my friends. 'He had the cheek to tell me how great I looked and I said: "That's because I'm rid of you". 'I didn't waste my holiday though. I had a wonderful time, sunbathing and partying. He's in the past. But I will never have another holiday romance.' The only thing I brought home from Turkey this time was a sun tan and a new tattoo.' Sakir Candan admitted that he had been in relationships with both the women. He claimed Karen is stalking him and denied she had sent him money.
target: Karen Reidy, 40, met Sakir Candan on holiday in Marmaris, Turkey in 2012 .
  The pair got engaged 18 months later after Karen lost eight stone for him .
  Hotel worker from Manchester discovered he was cheating on Facebook .