Stephen Jones (64) became familiar with Thailand on business trips and decided he could build a dream existence when he plucked a young woman from street poverty there and used his substantial life savings and inheritance to create a home with her.

But, when the relationship fell apart he started to fear for his safety and even believes a local tried to kill him.

Mr Jones fled to Lynn, where he has family close by, and is now living in a housing association home and living on benefits, while his former partner continues to enjoy the luxurious surroundings they created together and he tries to navigate the Thai legal system to get a share in it.

The dream shattered even more savagely for Ian Beeston (69) – who lived close to Mr Jones and moved in some of the same circles – when he was reportedly stabbed and beaten to death by his bride and her lover earlier this month.

Mr Jones said: “It’s a ridiculous situation, I regret that I ever went to Thailand.

“I haven’t got a home, haven’t got a car, haven’t any money.”

Mr Jones met his partner – some 20 years his junior – in the notorious resort of Pattaya, known for its bars of prostitutes, in 2000. It is the same area where Mr Beeston is said to have found his bride.

Mr Jones said when he met his partner she was living in a room with her two children with no electricity, no water and no bathroom, but he bought land and poured nearly £300,000 into creating a large home, complete with swimming pool and full mod-cons for them. He said they were happy and lived as an English man and wife would for seven years. But when the money started running out the relationship dissolved.

Earlier this year he was mown down by a local on a motorcycle in what he believes was a deliberate attack on his life.

The former owner of Walsingham restaurant Maitai, who is now living in Windmill Court, Winston Churchill Drive, Fairstead, said: “I want to protect other English people from going to Thailand and getting ripped off.”

louise.brain@lynnnews.co.uk