Kind-hearted donors have raised almost £30,000 for a British teen who has been detained in Dubai after embarking on a holiday romance. Marcus Fakana, an 18-year-old from Tottenham in north London, was on holiday with his parents when he met a 17-year-old girl who has since turned 18. The teenagers, who were staying at the same hotel, discussed carrying on their “blossoming” teenage romance when they came back to London after sleeping together.

The parents of the girl, who was a minor under United Arab Emirates (UAE) law, looked through her phone and reported Mr Fakana to the police after they arrived home from their trip. Dubai has only recently made sex out of marriage legal for tourists but the country. However, it still has a strict Islamic legal system in place. In the UK, the pair’s relationship would be legal.

The family of Mr Fakana have described their ordeal as a "nightmare" on their GoFundMe page and have warned that his mental health is declining. “What was meant to be a happy time has turned into a nightmare for him, our family, and our friends,” they wrote on the fundraising page. “This has happened as a result of someone trying to misuse UAE law against him. He is being charged with a crime that could lead to imprisonment for up to 20 years.”

The family added: “He is only 18 years old, very scared, and his mental health is starting to decline. We’ve done all we can to fight for his freedom, but now we urgently need to raise at least £20,000 to work on getting him back home. We’ve already spent as much as we can on legal help and his housing needs while he stays to fight his case. We’re trying our best, but we are struggling with the funds to continue this fight.” The funds raised will cover Mr Fakana's legal fees, accommodation in the UAE while the case goes on and travel costs to bring him back safely to the UK.