WOMAN cheated out of £60,000 by the lover she met in a Crewe pub has waived her anonymity to fight for justice.

Ellie Bull, 41, says she wants her day in court with the man she thought she would spend the rest of her life with but instead left her homeless and penniless.

Ellie met the man calling himself John Chapman in the Gaffer's Row Wetherspoons pub in Victoria Street a year ago.

They enjoyed a whirlwind romance and by June, he had proposed.

They started making plans to buy a house together and Ellie, despite having only lived in Farmer Close, Crewe, for seven months, sold the property for £65,000 cash - more than £50,000 less than the market value.

John then arranged for her possessions to be moved into storage and claimed to have found them a house in the Stoke area.

While the move was allegedly being finalised, the couple travelled the country staying in hotels with John's business associate, a man called Frank.

John claimed to have paid for all the hotel stays in cash. But Ellie later discovered that her debit card had been charged.

In June two of John's business associates took her to the bank and went with her to hand over a £60,000 deposit for the new house to John at the Little Chef service station at Barthomley, next to the M6 junction 16 roundabout. That was the last time Ellie ever saw John.

Ellie, now living in a hostel for the homeless, said: 'I have now lived in three separate hostels and refuges across the country.

'I have been left with nothing and have had my life turned upside down by a man I thought I could trust. I want him caught more than I want my anonymity. I want retribution and my day in court with him so I can see his face and find out what he did with my money.'

Detective Constable Michelle Armitt said: 'I need the help of the public to trace this man. It is highly likely he may try to scam someone else in a similar way.' nAnyone with information should phone DC Armitt on 01244 613333 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.

DETECTIVES are trying to trace the man using the name John Chapman.

He is described as a white Irish male, 6ft 4in, of a large build and with curly ginger hair, cut short and greying at the sides.

Description of wanted man

He has blue eyes, a small mouth and broad cheeks. Across his chest he had a tattoo of Jesus Christ on the cross.

He speaks both English and Gaelic and has an Irish accent.

Chapman used a date of birth which would mean he is around 45-years-old.

It is believed that he may be involved in the import and export of machinery for heavy goods vehicles through UK ports.