A granddad has become Britain's most unlikely pin-up after his topless advertisement to try and sell some jeans led to cheeky offers from female admirers around the world.
Self-proclaimed 'Italian Stallion' Mario Graziano has been re-named the 'Liskeard Lothario' after his suggestive modeling pictures went viral.
The 54-year-old retired market trader swept to internet stardom after he posted pictures of himself on Facebook in a bid to sell a pair of jeans that were 'too tight' for him.
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The figure-hugging trousers not only sold straight away - but have now led to hundreds of other "offers" from both men and women across the globe.
Mario, of Liskeard, Cornwall, England, said he can not keep up with the demand - but is now regularly updating his new-found fans on Facebook with fresh photos of him in other outfits for sale.
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He remarked:
"I can not believe this has all happened over some jeans. I just bought a pair on eBay and they did not suit me. They were a little bit too tight for me though. I put them on Facebook marketplace and took a couple of photos and it grew from there. It has gone around the world."
"I want to give and show people what they are looking for. I do have a lot of female admirers that is for sure. I also get a lot of homosexuals and women of the night responding to me. That is because the jeans are so tight. But I cannot help it if I have something extra."
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"I often get asked if I have something in my pants. But it is a lot of fun and I always stay the right side of the line. I don't do anything offensive."
Mario, who has two children and four grandchildren, said he initially decided to pose topless with the jeans as he had struggled to sell them.
But he said now that he puts his face on them they are flying out the door.
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He added:
"The past few days it has been absolutely non-stop. It has gone around the world. I have worked with the public all my life and I knew the best way to sell these jeans was to get my face on it. I found it very difficult to sell before. But now I stick my face on them and it just goes straight away."
"One pair of jeans used to take a few weeks to sell before. But people like the novelty. Normally you only see models trying to sell jeans, but then you see someone like me, just a normal human being, people like that. They have all sold, every single one."
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He also offered some advice to other potential sellers, saying:
"A lot of people on eBay want to sell their stuff, but they just put it up in the package, they put it on the table and they take a photo. From my point of view, it's the way you wear it and if the people like it, they're going to buy it."
"Of course it is popular with the ladies. I get a load of messages from the ladies whenever I post a new picture - saying things like 'the Italian stallion is back.'"
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Mario moved to the UK when he was 17 from his native Italy and lived in Plymouth for more than 30 years before moving to Cornwall.
The unconventional entrepreneur, who used to work on a £1 stall in Plymouth Market, and said he now receives around a thousand messages or comments a day.
He revealed that a friend takes the photographs for him for the selling page, often posing on his staircase and on the tiger-print throw strewn across his bed.
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He now plans to expand the clothing he sells, including swimming costumes and underwear.
"I have got massive big fans," he claimed. "Every day I get 1,000, 2,000 people and they're all friends and unfortunately I can't add everyone at the same time.I will sell some more trousers in the next few weeks and over the summer I'll be selling lots of underwear, boxer shorts, jeans and swimming costumes."
The dad-of-two said that he is now even recognized walking down the street.
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He shared:
"It doesn't matter where I'm going, people stop me and say 'are you the guy from Facebook?' They stop and they want to take a photo and stuff like that. I don't think it's going to last very long, it's like anything. People will get cheesed off to see me and say I've had enough of him."
Mario, who lives alone with his two dogs, says he has starred in TV programs with Bradley Walsh and Dermot O'Leary and has been asked to star on Big Brother and Judge Rinder.
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He said:
"I've been working for the television as well. I did two shows and they asked me to do a few more shows but I refused as I was with somebody. I was in the show called 'The Getaway Car' with Dermot O'Leary in South Africa."
"The next was with my two daughters and granddaughter with Bradley Walsh and it was called 'Keeping the Family'."
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"I like to live life to the full," he added. "I don't believe in yesterday, I believe in today and the life is to live happiness and enjoy.
"Some people they like it, some people they don't like it, because I have worked with the public all my life, it's very easy for me to be lovable by most of the people."
Among the comments responding to his advert were: "Woah wait are you included with the Jean's? [sic]"
Another admirer asked: "When can I schedule a time to see these lovely trousers?"
While another wrote: "Hottest jeans on marketplace. Sexiest model too."
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You go, Mario!
@JamesTate121/X
